


Split souls leave wounds

by the_captains_platonic_masquerade



Series: Two sided blade soul mate theory [2]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Enemies to Lovers, Fighting As Foreplay, Interventions, Joker’s love affair with the grapple gun, Justice league want to know why they can’t call Batman pet names too, M/M, Mind Manipulation, PTSD - hinted at for the boys, Rough Sex, Secret Relationship, Team Up, War World, getting caught kink, imagined alternate universes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:46:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 50,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26479699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_captains_platonic_masquerade/pseuds/the_captains_platonic_masquerade
Summary: Batman and Joker return to Earth, accepting their lasting ties and finding ways to keep their connection now that they are out in the more complicated world. But they left some unfinished business out in the stars and now the two must work together again to right their wrongs. But now with the Justice League watching their every move.
Relationships: Joker (DCU)/Bruce Wayne
Series: Two sided blade soul mate theory [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1925038
Comments: 96
Kudos: 236





	1. Torn by paper cuts

**Author's Note:**

> If anyone is expecting this to be a chapter every day Thing like last time I’m sorry but nope. Haha. 
> 
> Ya girl broke her laptop (again) and so this was mostly typed up and so I thought I would publish but it might take a while with the others. Also the editing might be worse, I don’t have my program to help me see mistakes that my dyslexia blinds me too.

The Javelin-13 was made for deep space travel, Bruce had worked on it himself. They had only two running space ships, all made from borrowed tech and upgraded shells of the ships that were other wise destroyed. He never knew they would be getting as much use as they were. Especially with him involved, he wasn’t meant for space. This ship was larger than the others, meant to carry a lot of them for longer times of travel. It had a room that was always _his_ however it didn’t feel as comfortable as the ship he had been travelling on with the Joker. The Javelin-13 was travelling at less than full speed as it was also towing the stolen still unnamed ship behind them. 

He stood in the cockpit, watching as the dots of starlight rabidly moved passed the view screen as they sped through space. The other heros were gathering into the room as well, his team mates, some he would even consider his friends. They were people who he didn’t need to keep secrets from but here he was again with something to hide. 

Bruce told the team a  _ heavily _ edited version of his time in Mongul’s war world. He told them about the fights but he emphasised his attempts to gather data, to save who he could and make his escape. This wasn’t out of any sort of pride or defensiveness but so he wouldn’t worry them even more. Bruce didn’t want them to know how close he came to giving up and who it was that pulled him back from that brink. He wanted them to still have faith in the unshakable determination of the Batman. 

He told them of the plan they made and how they left Mongul and his planet in a state of chaos. He didn’t mention what had grown between him and The Joker, how close they had gotten tied together and reliant they grew on each other.

They were all still on edge around the clown. He could see the way they were glancing at him where he sat on a control panel, swinging his long legs and laughing every other moment.

Bruce was worried Joker would let it slip about the change in their relationship. Not out of any form of malicious intent, they had both agreed to hide it but more from just carelessness. But he didn’t give any indication outside of still calling him pet names but that was still in line with his usual behaviour. He did interject many times, bragging about his part in information collecting and fighting the tyranny of Mongul. The team for the most part just ignored him or shot a few concerned looks. They had all heard a lot about the Joker but he had never let any of the team go after him before so this was a new experience for some.

The LJ had their own turn explaining that Bruce was the first to be taken yes, but not the only one. A few of the other members had woken up being trapped by a villain or had a villains attempt to attack them. This was a group effort with multiple villains from The Legion of Doom. That made Joker stop laughing and lean forward to listen. The villain’s own team hid this from him and saw him as a welcome sacrifice to get rid of the Batman.

The Justice league were each able to over come their own villains or get help from the others to escape and survive. Most of the Legion members were now locked up again for however long that might last. Bruce and Joker were the only one to have be take off world. He had also been missing the longest but now he was heading home again. The team was back together. 

But with one unexpected addition. 

“Hahahaha oh wow, that must get your pretty little tights in a twist. Even with all your powers Batsy was the biggest threat... and I of course the only force even in space that could stop him!” He said with pride before it slipped into a bitter anger. “Would have been nice to have a heads up about it.” 

Hopping off the panel, Joker saunter over to Bruce, leaning his elbow on his shoulder. “Maybe we should start running things now that we’re going home, we are obviously the dream team, huh? Get some real justice on those two-timing Legion baddies, eh?” 

Joker grinned at him and Bruce just rose an eyebrow in return, making a point not to smile at him. 

“Alright that’s enough.” Clark said and suddenly Joker was being yanked away from him. Bruce jolted and almost grabbed the clown’s other arm before he managed to stop himself. 

“It will take a few days to get back to Earth from here. We can keep him locked in one of the rooms until then.” 

“He can’t hurt any of us here. We’ve been trapped for a long time he should be fine until we get back to Earth.” He told him, voice steady. 

Clark’s eyebrows drew a little closer together and he saw how he shared some looks with the other team. “We can’t take that risk, we know you... both of you have been through a lot but he is still the Joker.” 

Bruce nodded and tried not to show how his fingers were digging into his palms as he watched Superman drag the Joker off. Joker himself laughed gleefully and to make things more difficult did whisper a few threats to Superman. Right before he was out of sight, Joker looked back at him. His humour dropping and he leaned back trying to keep his gaze on him for as long as he could before he was gone. Now, after months of being joined at the wrist they were going to need to learn to be separated again. 

But doing that in one night was a bit to ask of himself so after some more light hearted catching up and food actually from Earth. Batman got to work.

Bruce was still the best at working nights out of the team and heroes. He knew the schedule of the ship and the habits of his team mates. There was a lull twice in the day/night cycle where here would have an approximate hour and a half where they prepare for the shift change, some now waking and other going to sleep. Bruce got into the computer and hid the fact that he was watching their movements while disabling the open and close log on the door to Joker’s room. He did feel guilty about this but he was also consumed by the feeling of wrongness from being this far from the other man. 

Bruce checked multiple times for where everyone was before he snuck out and headed to the room that was acting as Joker’s new cell. When he entered didn’t see the Joker at first. It made his heart give a heavy thump in his chest but he then heard deranged muttering that made his anxiety abate. Amazing how it could have that effect on him now. He rounded the bed and saw the man, sitting hunched on the floor. His knees were pulled to his chest and he was moving his hands erratically as he spoke to himself. Bruce knew better than to try pulling him out from where ever he was too fast. So he crouched on the floor directly opposite him, close but still giving the other a little space. He waited to be noticed.  


It took a moment but on the third time Joker’s eyes flicked up to him his whole body perked up too. “Oh Batsy!” Joker rushed forward and Bruce found himself surrounded by long limbs. “Oh Darling I thought I might never see you again, we’re still in space so you might have died and I’d have to fight alone and then half my jokes wouldn’t work because they don’t know Earth culture! How can I work with a crowd who don’t get my references?!”  


Bruce hugged him back tightly before shifting his weight and standing, holding Joker off the ground. Joker nuzzled into him and held him tight enough that if he let him go, the man wouldn’t even sag from his hold. “Sorry I took so long. And I’m sorry that we don’t have much time. I’ll try and come in when I can.” Bruce brought him to the bed and eased loose the octopus hold on himself so that they could both lay down together. On their sides facing each other like a mirror image. This was what he was missing. He felt safer now that he knew if they were plunged into a fight again he would have some one looking after him. Tiredness was also hitting him, but he couldn’t give into the comfort of being on a bed with him again.

“Darling, you are going to get in a lot of trouble if they find you here with me. Already making bad decision? I knew I was a good influence on you.” Joker chuckled. 

“I know their pattens and I told the computer to put my position signature in my own room. I won’t be caught.”  
  
“Can’t the flying boyscout see us?”  
  
“The walls of the bedrooms are lined with... a specific, alien and hard to find material which Superman can’t see through. We value privacy and we don’t normally ferry criminals in this ship.”  
  
“Yeah I assume you use your other of many ships for that. Though you know, Batsy, you could just use lead on SuperBland, cheaper and easier to find.”  
  
“… you know about that?”  
  
“Learned it from Lex on that team up we had. Looks like that won’t be happening again any time soon.” He huffed. 

Concerning but he’ll deal with that only when it became an issue. He has something more concerning to deal with right now.  
  
“J, I’m going to need you to focus, I don’t have much time but we need to talk. When we get back home, you’ll be going right back to Arkham.”

————————————————

The ship was fast even when it was tugging along the bigger ship and they made it back to Earth in only a few days. They got a boom-tube from Watch tower to Gotham and finally, Batman and Joker had arrived back home.

The City was covered by a dark blanket of cloud and raining heavily. the air smelt like storm, exhaust and an underfunded waste management system, and Bruce hadn’t realised how home sick he had been until the air was in his lungs. This was his city. The concrete and steel, the dark gothic architecture which set shadows everywhere no matter how many lights where up in the city. He was itching to be leaping over her roofs again. 

“Welcome back, Batman.” Diana and Clark had come with him, Wonder Woman held Joker’s arms bound behind his back but the clown ignored it and was also breathing in the city. His pale face tilted up towards the rain, eyes closed and now damp green hair sticking to his forehead. 

“It’s good to be back.” He replied and just spend a moment enjoying the feeling of not being locked in by walls for the first time in too long. Of hearing the echoing hustle and bustle of the sleepless city. “Well, time to get back to work. I can take him to Arkham.” He said reaching his hand out towards The Joker.  
  
The clown jerked at his binds in believable surprise. “What? No, you can’t! We just got back and I haven’t seen the gang in so long. I have a lot of people who I’ve missed and after all that time fighting I’m sure my aim has gotten better!” He laughed at his own joke until Diana tugged him back hard.  
  
“Honourable but unnecessary, you dealt with the clown enough. I can only imagine what that would have been like. Besides-“ he could suddenly hear a loud Doppler of a familiar engine rolling down the street. “-You have a few people who were awaiting your return. 

The Batmobile stopped in front of the mouth of the alley way. The shine of the head lights obscured the figures emerging the car but it left a familiar shadowed silhouette on the ground. Stood before him was the Batman, but he’d know that jaw line anywhere.  
  
“Batman.” He greeted, walking forward as he eyed how the other suited the old bat suit.  
  
There was an annoyed huff. “Not for much longer… Batman.”  
  
“Knightwing.” He said softer and he wanted to hug the boy but didn’t know if it would be welcomed so he held his arm out but Dick brushed it aside and hugged him close. Bruce hugged him tight and a wave of how much he missed his sons hit him. Just as he thought of the younger of the two he heard a loud scoff. 

  
“About time you came back, I can’t believe you left me with him.” 

He looked down at Jason, he was sure there would be a few stories of this Batman and Robin duo for him to hear. Jason also ignored his outstretched hand and instead kicked his leg. “Work faster next time. He sucks at being Batman, I should have been you.”   
  
“Hopefully there won’t be next time.” He replied and softened his expression as he looked at the younger boy. He ruffled his hair only for his hand to be slapped away by the embarrassed boy.

With a last glance at the three behind him, he nodded to Clark and Diana and his eyes only lingered over the Joker, their eyes meet for just a moment. Joker looking quit intense and annoyed. It felt wrong leaving him and turning his back on the other man but he did. He followed his sons and headed back home. 

——————————————————

He spent the next few days being doted on by Alfred and spending time with his sons. Dick and Jason weren’t fighting as much and it was a pleasant return for the most part. Dick had not only taken over as Batman but also as Bruce Wayne. He had been answering emails and a few calls with a voice modifier to just keep up his presence. So he had a story to continue when he started talking to Wayne Enterprise employees and journalists about the healing powers of these natural remedies and spas for the jet skee injury he had been recovering from these few months.

It was 9 days until he heard the reports of the Joker’s escape from Arkham. He was alone in the cave and smiled softly at the news. 

They had planned it then, laying inches apart in secret together on that bed. stealing moments in hiding when surrounded by the other heroes who... he didn’t even know what they would have done if they were caught. But they knew Joker was going to be taken back to Arkham. It was common knowledge that the criminal knew how to escape. No matter how much money Bruce Wayne had donated, not enough of it was allocated to fix those security flaws. 

Bruce didn’t take Jason with him this time, and escaped into the night, driving down the desolate stretch of road that lead to Arkham. They had planned where to meet, a large and twisted dead tree which was easily identified from the mutations it had, courtesy of Dr Pamala Isley.Bruce drove the short distance off road and parked next to it, waiting with itching fingers for any sign of the signature orange that the Arkham inmates wore. 

He waiting through the dark to the lighting of the sky and until the sun itself peaked over the horizon. Then he returned back to the cave alone.

———— ———— ——— ——— ————

It was later in that very day that reports came across the wire about a possible Joker attack. Joker had a habit of being quiet for varying stretches of time and other gangs and villains would still stay away from his territory, not wanting to pick a fight with the wildcard. But the ones on the Legion had thought the clown would be gone forever. 

6 dead, 10 severely injured. A group of men who worked closely with the Penguin had been operating in the bowels of a building which had a restaurant as a front. A restaurant that kept up appearance by being functional and actually having good food and trained chefs, one which civilians visited. Families visited. 

Bruce had swooped in as soon as the sun was down again and listened from the roof top as Gordon spoke about the still smouldering remains. Joker had shot up all the people who were just patrons before finding Penguin’s men in the back and forcing the men to fight each other. The half still standing must have left with him, likely recruited. The other half, they left to burn from the fire started spray cans in the oven and metal cutlery in the microwave. 

He had seen Joker do terrible things while they were away but this disturbed him much more now. He had actually believed in him. Gordon found him almost splintering the charred wood of a chair back as he surveyed the ground. Gordon assured him he would get the villain. And he would.

Bruce didn’t let his mind wander, He followed clues and did his pursuit with a cold numbness inside of him until he saw the man. Joker was In a warehouse filled with stolen goods to create the illusion of a proper living space. He was just sitting on the couch watching some black and white show. Upon seeing that, then he was angry. 

It was like the months they had never happened. He kicked in glass and dropped into the room, roaring the other’s name who in return giggled and ran, flinging razor sharp cards behind him. 

They escaped into the roof top, they are always on roof tops. Joker was out of cards and while Bruce wasn’t out of batterangs, he went in with fists. 

“Why?” He asked as he caught Joker in his stomach. “Why did you do it?” He cried out as he caught him across the jaw. “Why after every we have been through!?” He was yelling now and kicked Joker in his bad knee which buckled, sending him down. “Why did you leave me?” Bruce raised his fist again but the whole time the Joker had just taken the hits and kept laughing. Bruce lowered his hand and dropped down on his knees as well. “You were right, you can’t change. Not here in Gotham.” It was only then that the laughing stopped.

“I... no Batsy, I...” he had been starting at the only concrete of the roof top until hands desperately reached for him face and titled his head back up. “It... it was only joke. They told me in Arkham that they missed me, they were keeping my spot warm for me and I had to show them I was back. This is my show, Darling.” He said and Bruce hadn’t expected to see such desperation in those green eye. 

“You shot civilians!” 

“Please this is Gotham, everyone could be corrupt.”

“You made them fight each other with kitchen supplies!” 

“Audience participation is essential for a good act.” 

“You killed 6 people!”

“I killed so many more!” He screamed back. “You knew that before you kissed me! I always killed for you! I killed up there to keep your gloves clean and I kill down here to keep your fists flying. I... I can’t stop.” 

“No... you can’t.” He agreed softly and Joker’s face twisted and a hurt sound broke from his lips. 

“Darling don’t say that... I can say it but you can’t.” Joker crawled closer to him and pressed his lips around the exposed skin around his mouth. “Don’t give up on me, not yet. I didn’t mean to forget about us but all people do is tell me I’m lying and crazy, I believed them but I remember now. Please, Darling, I was scared every time I woke up and you were gone. But then I thought what if it wasn’t real? Even the scars I had looked faded and healed.” Joker leaned back and careful brought up his hands again to show Bruce his nails, paining in a bright highlight yellow. “I remembered this! This was ours.” 

Bruce gave a long sign and moved over so he could sit leaning back again the box of the exhaust fan and looked out at the lights of Gotham city. He _had_ known what Joker had done when he kissed him. What he had the capacity to do. 

Joker sat next him him, or almost half on top of him with how much he was leaning his body against his own, entwining their arms like he could hold him back from leaving. Yellow nails scratching and poking at the at the different patterns of his new suit. 

“So, what’s the plan now, Batsy?” Joker asked dropping his head to Bruce’s shoulder. 

“Can you promise to stop killing?”

Because in he learned from running a company you alway have to try and unreasonably stack it in your favour so you have more levels to barter down too.

Joker snorted “can you promise not to dress like a lost Haunted house worker?” 

“You said you liked the suit.”

“Oh I love it, but that isn’t a good sign, my adorable darling.”

Joker started and stopped speaking a few times, trying and failing to find a compromise so Bruce tried again. “Just like we did on War World, don’t kill the innocents. Leave the civilians out of it... Joker please.” 

Joker’s nails scratched over the Kevlar like he was trying to carve it open. He remember the feeling of his nails doing the same thing down his back. 

“I can’t stop being me, as long as you’re the Batman I am going to be the Joker, the world needs you, I need you and you need me so the world needs me.” Bruce was still learning what physiological course he needed to follow to down play the importance Joker had placed the Batman on as well as the rivalry the character of the Joker had with it. 

They watched the twinkling lights for a moment as the Joker thought it over. "I’ll let you give mercy to the civis... if-“ he paused for dramatics “- you kiss me.” He looked back at the Joker with some suspicion. “I missed you, darling!... I didn’t mean not to find you, really do mean that.” 

Bruce looked at him for a moment. He had missed him too, he was a villain and stood against everything he stood for... and he still missed him. He hoped on day he could help Joker, that he could pull him away from from the darkness within him but he already fell for him knowing what he was. They were still tied so tightly together. He would need to work on himself too and all the darkness he carried inside him as well. They were both very broken men. 

Bruce leaned in and kissed him softly. Just lightly and chaste. It lasted like that for a few seconds before the Joker climbed into his lap. His left hand entwined with his right, he couldn’t feel it but he knew over his glove would be the rough skin of the man’s palm from where the knife exploded in his hand but the healing salve had made it seem like a much older wound. “Make sure I don’t forget. Make sure I can never doubt this.” 

Bruce had checked and there were no security cameras around the dilapidated building. He still looked around, seeing if there where any vantage points around, maybe if some one had a sniper scope they could see then from the newest building. “Joker lets-“ Joker pushed himself up and Bruce thought they were going to move back into the shadows within the building but when Bruce moved to stand as well Joker planted his foot on his chest and pushed him down away from the fan they had been leaning against. Joker dropped down and straddled him again, this time pinning him to the roof. 

“Yes, lets.” He could have pushed Joker off but those lips were on him again, needy and forceful. His weak protests being swallows up but god he missed him. 

They both kept most of their costumes on, the cold city air brushed against the heated skin they exposed. Bruce tried to slow them down but Joker went in with a recklessness, almost impaling himself if Bruce’s cock without any prep. “Joker stop!” 

“I need you, you can’t say now you don’t want to get me. I need you to make me feel this for days to come. I can take it, you’ve hurt me in worse ways before.” 

“No. I won’t hurt you like this.”

They had a small scuffle but Bruce managed to roll them and pin Joker down with his forearm across his collar. Using some lube from his belt he worked the man open ignoring his insults and protests that he didn't need it. As soon as he lessened his hold again Joker shoved him back over and sat himself on his cock and road him for all he was worth. Joker was rough with himself and Bruce tried not to grip him too hard but it was difficult to judge wearing his suit. In the end he was sure the criminal got what he wanted and a little of finger tip Bruce’s would form over his hips as well. 

Their final sighs of complication were puff of mist escaping into the cold night. Bruce gently pulled away and dropped down onto his back looking out into the sky and the stars visible between the gaps in the dark clouds. 

“We can’t do this out here again.”

“Not a fan of voyeurism, huh? That’s a shame ... for everyone else with eyes. We’d look great together.” Joker gave him a wink. “So I might actually have an idea that might make you happy, Darling. I think I can make this work, and I wont let it slip my mind, I’ll be remembering you and our deal every time I sit down so it will all be okay.”

“Joker... I still do need to bring you in. You can’t just get a _do over_ when it comes to murder... We’ll need to cleaned you up-“

Joker interrupted him, loudly “Yeah, yeah in a moment I need to tell you my idea.” Joker sprawled over his chest and Bruce was a bit distracted by how the movement felt on his sensitive cock where it was still buried in the other man. He was distracted enough that he didn’t see the Joker reaching into his jacket pocket pocket. “So a while ago I was in group therapy with Crane and we were talking about chemicals.” And before Bruce could react a glass vial was smashed right beside his head, there was a sweet yet obviously chemical smell and the world went dark. 

Bruce woke up an hour or so later with a headache. He was still laying on the roof but thankfully his suit had been pulled back in place and everything was tucked away. The last thing he needed was to be caught in such a state. He tried to ignore the tightness in his chest and search the building. Joker was gone again. He gave up and after stopping a few mugging and braking up a knife fight, he returned to the cave after making sure Jason had gotten back home safely as well. 

Bruce stripped for the shower still thinking over the events of the night and if he should be worry when he noticed a splash of colour. On his hip, on either side of the base of his cock was written in sharpie. _“Thanks for let letting me play with your bat, man xoxoxo_ ” with a few lipstick kiss marks smudged around it.  Bruce sighed and didn’t know if he should be annoyed or amused. As usual. 

The next time Joker struck was 5 days after that meeting and the crime scene was **ugly**. 

A hidden underground gambling room which had been hosting a man who had connections to Lex Luther and been attacked.  Again he dropped in with a cold fury and watched bodies being loaded into ambulances and entered the room. He hated himself for giving in, for humouring the other’s antics and giving him a chance like this. He approached Gordon even when he would be in sight of many other people combing over the scene. “How many dead?” He asked, just needed to know what his choices had caused. 

“He’s the thing... only one dead this time. Dimitri ‘the undertaker’ Ivanov. A known smuggler who uses funeral homes and urns for moving what he is selling. Was selling.” Gordon scratched at his chin. “The rest... well, see for yourself.” 

He approached one of the stretchers, watching at the paramedics scrambled back from him. The person on it was indeed alive but something horrific had still happened to them. Faces stretched into manic grins. Patches of skin and hair now off colour in pale white and vibrant green. The person jolted a hand out grabbing his wrist but what ever they were trying to say was lost on their manic laughter. 

“I’ll need a blood sample.” He demanded frightening the already shaken paramedics but he couldn’t risk them refusing. While a woman ran off to get him one he continued searching the room. 

When he saw it he tried not to make it too obvious that it was somethings and glanced over a napkin placed neatly on an other wise trashed Poker table among the chaos. 

_** 04479000**_

_** For a good time come to the meet up point ** _

_** Xoxoxox  ** _

Scrawled roughly in lipstick with a loving mark on it. He recognised the numbers used and the shade of lipstick. when no one was looking he pocketed the napkin. 

He didn’t go there right away. He was itching too. Their last meeting having been brief yet eventful. But he had more immediate matters to deal with. He took the blood samples back to the cave and worked for hours without distraction to create an anti-toxin for whatever the Joker had dozed the people with.  He shipped it off with the hope they would be left with minimal facial nerve damage and the unusually pigmentations would fade over time. 

Then he drove out to meet the Joker again. 

Leave it to the Joker that when the option to kill is taken to do seemingly more disturbing to see. But civilians weren’t dying and even though there was a cure, just the horror of it with the knowledge of what Joker has done in the past was effective enough. They were both using fear and the idea of what they are to have sway in this city. It just might work. 

Joker was waiting for him by the tree. He climbed out to meet where the clown was smugly leaning against dead bark. “I saw what you did, Joker. It was horrifying... thank you.” 

This was the first time the Joker had willingly entered the Batmobile. It wasn’t perfect, to be perfect they would probably both need to retire but it was a start. He wasn’t optimistic enough to believe they could keep the balance forever but just for now, they might just find a compromise and keep their bright yet fragile secret to themselves. 

Even as a pessimist Bruce hadn’t anticipated that he would only have a year before things changed. 


	2. Hacked by an axe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys find the price of their escape.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapters weren’t meant to be this long but that just seems to be happening. Tell me if it flows ok, the last series was like 3k-4K and now it’s 5K+ some how.

The bat cave had long before now become more a home to him than the mansion above. He had grown used to the darkness, the coldness, and the flickering shadows moving just out of site from the creatures who shared the cave with him. Now another creature was joining them down here. 

While he was waiting for Joker to escape from Arkham when they had first gotten back, he had been planning on how they could make this work. The bat cave was a well hidden sanctuary and really the only place he thought would be secure enough for both high profile men. When constructing it he and Alfred had blocked off many smaller cave systems which could fit anything larger than a few bats and there were sensors everywhere. He found one the bigger tunnels which had a small cavern along it and in secret moved the sensors and broke through the thick layers of concrete to make a secret tunnel in and out of a the cave. 

Bruce had shown Joker how to find it from the outside and trusted he would use skills at being hard to track when using it. Now they had a place, trading a steel room for stone but they didn’t have much choice. When they needed to they would have a place to see each other away from the threat of prying eyes.

  
————————————————  
  


It had been over a year since Batman and Joker returned from War World, over a year since Bruce Wayne and an unnamed criminal started to rely on each other, share affection for each other, and ultimately found understanding in each other. 

Night still held danger and the chase for them. Joker was still a criminal, The Legion of Doom had betrayed him and the clown was going after them all with a vengeance. They were losing underling, supplies and limbs and lives. the everyday citizens were still being subjected to the trauma caused by the Joker venom and the rehabilitation process needed to physically recover from it. But Joker had kept his word and at least the civilians were no longer dying. 

Batman would chase the Joker across roof tops, though abandoned industrial zones, though old carnival grounds. Batman would still beat him, cut him, dodge his knives and suffer electrical shocks. But it was more a game now, they were no longer on a path that could have lead to each other’s death. Joker would still be captured and sent for stints in Arkham in the hopes some one would find something that would break through Joker’s psyche while he himself tried to learn small ways to keep him stable when he got out again. 

When the sun rose, the chase would pause and the exhumed tunnel leading to the cave was a safe zone. It was like their cell in that they could just be men around each other, no long having to be heroes and villains. Joker put up fairy lights and piles of blankets and pillows topped a hand stitched Batman toy. Every other day they would find each other there, they patch each other up, bicker and some times even argued but they would end up curled around each other. Entwining arms and legs and breaths. 

The guilt was still always in the back of Bruce’s mind but he was also the more stable he had been in a while. As Batman many of the more dangerous criminals were laying low to hide from Joker’s wrath. He spent more nights now stopping petty theft and break-in attempts and exposing corrupt people in positions of power. With less major and disturbing crimes he was doing better trying to relate to Jason’s anger and find ways to try and soothe it. He and Dick were fighting less, calling when they could as Dick continued his work in Blüdhaven. He had to better split his time now that he was seeing Joker for a part of it and so he learned that he didn’t need to meddle in the young man’s affairs as constantly as he had and would resist doing so, trusting him to work it out on his own. 

He knew Alfred did have concerns about his even slight change in behaviour and the older man was curious about where he was spending his time but he never pushed and remained as supportive of him as he had always been.

What was one more secret to the many he had already. 

He was at the tail end of a meeting in Wayne Enterprises when the call came in. Not Penny One about a robbery or kidnapping but from Watch tower, he waved off the ending presentation and told his team he believed in their ideas and gave them the go ahead promising to and notes later seeing as he had some other commitment now. Rushing to his office he watched the news. 

The shakey camera showed something crashing from the sky, carving up a city street in Star city. Cutting to a other POV on that street walking closer to the object that had been revealed to be a ship. The sides over and the Person drops the phones. Cutting again from further away now you see the teenagers from the second POV running away as someone or something steps out. Grey textured skin covered in bumps, long black hair only growing at the back of his head. His face was heavily scarred to one side, an eye clouded over, its whole body held signs of ware and injury from a harsh life. He wore black and gold armoured pants with an axe hanging from his belt matching the same style. 

But the most striking feature on this alien wasn’t his alienness or his weapons. It was the marks on his chest. Crudely branded into his skin was two half symbols joined together. On his right side was half a bat symbol the one he wore on his own suit. The left side was like and outwards pointed triangle which was curved up. It didn’t take Bruce long to see it for what it was. The curve of a grin. 

Superman and Wonder Woman were already there when the batplane arrived. Superman had caught a car which had been tossed toward a group of fleeing citizens. Bruce dropped out of the plane just in time to hear the alien’s demands. 

“Where are they! Where are your mighty warriors! They will face me in combat to die and prove I am the true champion.” The alien cried out, brandishing his axe. 

“What’s your business here?” Bruce called out, watching as the alien jolted around to see him. Bruce didn’t recognise him but there could only be one place he could have been from. 

“Ah the Bat, I am Draaga! I too was named a champion of War World! I have come to fright you and your other and prove I am worthy to fight Mongul. Come face me!”

Bruce’s fists curled at the mention of that name, so he had survived, he had been wondering if a day like this would come from their hasty and destructive retreat. 

“I don’t want to fight you.” He said and for a moment he was right back in one of those arenas. “I thought War World was destroyed, if you are free to travel why not flee?” He asked only the alien to charge at him. 

“You and the Purple one claim to have been the champions yet you have not yet faced me! You dare make your foolish attack on Mongul before you fought the rest of us! I will win and be the one too finish what you were too weak too.” He swung the axe and Bruce had to jump back, he didn’t turn away from him and kept disengaging from being in striking range. 

“If I kill you and the Purple one I can prove I am worthy and challenge him! I can do what you two did not and take him down and become the new champion of the people! We won’t need you if you are nothing!” Draaga threw the axe at him, managing to clip his cape but then rushed at him, Bruce redirected the punch going to his face and could feel the strength of the alien. He used the momentum to send him crashing to the ground but he rolled, picking up the fallen axe and kept swinging. 

While this brought him back to the feeling of the area this was not like those fight and It wasn’t just two -relatively- ordinary humans fighting. There was a red streak through the air and the acrid smell of heated metal filled the air before the axe suddenly melted off the handle. When Draaga looked in confusion he stayed in place long enough for a golden lasso wrapped around him, pinning his arms to his side.

“How dare you dishonour our battle like this, you have no part in this!” He yelled at Diana as he struggled against the binds. The lasso grew bright as its powers were used. “I will prove that we don’t need you! You left us all to his wrath... planets are being ripped apart, Those who can barely fight are stolen and slaughtered without honour. I want to blame you for what happened to my home... but I can’t... But I thought how else will I know if I have the power to avenge them all if you refuse to fight me! I need to be strong for them, for all of them but I am still afraid... they took them all from me!” The alien’s voice gradually cracking from despair as he spoke.

Bruce’s heart broke, he expected if Mongul survived he would have gone after Batman and Joker alone. He didn’t even think about what might be done to the other fighters. This was his fault, the price of their freedom and the year of peace they received. “Im sorry.” He said softly, watching the alien continues to cry out in anger and despair. the other two hero’s watched on in concern and confusion.   
  


They questioned the alien in the watch tower, he carried on his angry speech, yelling at them about what happened as his grip deforming the table in front of him. Bruce was mentally exhausted when he came home but he needed to debrief Jason and Alfred first. Both understandably worried and Jason was very angry about his choices. Treating it as if he even has a choice in this. 

When Jason stormed off and Alfred went to get some rest he made his way back down to the cave and followed the tunnel. He could hear a tapping as he drew near to their spot, finding the Joker sitting in their little nest. He held a knife curled in his fist, stabbing it into the rock floor next to him, metal dented from how long he must have be doing this while waiting. 

“...J?” He asked softly not knowing is he was present or not. But Joker perks up immediately and scrambled to stand. 

“Darling!” The man rushed up and Bruce found his arms filled by a lanky body. “I heard through the grape vine that some alien nonsense was happening again. I wasn’t worried, why would you even say that?” Thin arms squeeze him tight, he was out of the batsuit and could feel the force of the wirey muscles really tying to squeeze him. Bruce sat them down, telling Joker what they had leaned from the Draaga.

“When we escaped... Mongul survived. He... he had a weapon, one we didn’t know about... a planet destroying weapon. He had been using it to keep other fighters in line and keeping them fighting when they reserved Mercy. They fought or their planets died...”

Joker gave a long hum “oh okay, I see what the plot hook is.”

“He’s holding planets hostage, destroying whole worlds belonging to those who rose up against him. Many are fighting back but he is too powerful with this weapons and they can’t risk planetary genocide.” 

“So let me guess, he is coming here for us?”

“I don’t know for sure but most likely. There is a resistance that is rising up... they see us as heroes... symbols for over throwing him.”

Joker burst out laughing “Me? A hero? Oh that makes me feel dirty just hearing about.” He gave an exaggerated shudder. “So, when are we leaving?” The man said as he shuffled to get in a position to lay down with his head on Bruce’s lap. 

“We?” 

“Mongul would be after my sweet meats as well, and I can’t let you go up to fight some aliens without me, now can I? And I know it is what you want to do, can’t wait for the threat to get close to Earth and you think your big brain and thick muscles can do something all those other planets full of aliens can’t do. Am I right?”

Bruce was quiet for a moment before he muttered. “I won’t be alone, I will have members of the Justice league with me.” 

Joker scoffed, the man still not being very fond to the Justice League. He tried not to talk about the JL or Jason very much with the other. It never went well. From what he understood Joker thought his connections to them were a threat to how the Batman worked and so he tread carefully with how they were presented. 

“But we’re the winning team, remember Darling? I can keep you safe, I can do what you -or them- can’t... plus if you don’t take me I will blow up something up!” He threatened and he nuzzled into Bruce’s thigh.

“J, you can’t alway threaten to blow things up to win arguments.” He combed his fingers through green hair. “... but aside from me you do know the most about what War World was like. The rebellion would want to see you and you are one of Mongul’s targets... wouldn’t want for him to go after you when we are separated... as a tactical move.” He spoke slowly, working out if this argument might work. 

“Yes exactly and if they say no tell them I’ll blow up the hall of justice and use to rubble to make art of those god awful statues they made of all of you, they totally lied about how attractive you all are.” 

“J, we’ve talked about this.”

—————————————————

He tried his best to not lie too much to the JL most of it was just omitting details, not out right lies. He told them that Joker had been waiting for him and that he wanted to join the fight. He would play nice if anything just to have a chance to get back at Mongul for what they went through. He explain all the reasons why it might be a good idea to bring Joker while he tried to keep it impersonal. 

The debate on whether to bring him lasted longer than the prep time they had to get ready and settle their Earthly affairs. When they finally gave in to his argument it was in a large part by Draaga much to his surprise as he stressed that the rebellion wanted both of their champions and that his original mission was to either bring them both back or kill them. 

Joker would be useful, he agreed with that and was glad the man was coming with them but it was daunting. Not just facing off against Mongul again and this weapon but he would be caught between Joker and the Justice League. He might be more into detective work but the others were smart themselves. As much as he ribbed Clark for being a journalist he was an investigative reporter, Diana was a literal demigod or honestly, J’onn J’onzz has promised not to read thoughts without consent but he could still pick up surface emotions. Just a wrong reaction or too many instances of them being too close and relaxed with each other could hurt the life they had made. 

It was a risk but when planets were being threatened it’s worth taking personal risks if it added to their ability to stop the evil. At least that is what he told himself.   
  
  


——————————————— **————**

Batman used his ship, the stolen one which had become ‘Batman’s ship’ until he thought of a name for it, as the transport they could use to reach the solar system with War World. He had panted the silver of the ship black but kept the yellow and he as always glad to see it. He had down some work on it and added more rooms so it now had 8 in total and it still had a vast cargo bay. 

Bruce might have over packed’ but all he could think about was how hard they needed to work to get adequate supplies last time. He needed to make sure they had what they needed. Wayne tech had also been generously given a sample of the salve Batman had brought back from space and while the current replica he had been give wasn’t as effective as the origin yet it still worked wonders compared to most other healing stimulators Earth had ever seen. He made sure there were enough supplies of it for the team and to help any injured from the rebellion. 

They were just about ready and when Bruce had finished saying goodbye to Alfred and his sons, and he went to fetch the Joker. The man absolutely refused to change outfits so at risk of delaying departure he brought the clown to the Watch Tower as he was. The criminal dropped two heavy duffle bags and a backpack on the ground and yelled out to the space station. “Who’s ready for a space va-ca road trip!”

He was wearing sandals and socks which was a crime in itself along with lilac short-shorts, a ‘Proud Gothamite’ Batman t-shirt and a Hawaiian over shirt, topped with a Gotham Knights cap and a big clunky camera around his neck. 

“Oh this is going to be fun.” He heard Hawkgirl mutter before continuing to load the ship. Joker laughed and grabbed his bags again before running onto the ship. The take off did end up being delayed as they had needed to look through Joker’s bags to make sure all the weapons he brought we justified. Hence a flame thrower was left behind. And that nothing would blow up during transits. Clark helped him sort though it and he found the other hero staring intently at a jack-in-the-box before looking at Bruce with an amused and a little confused expression. “I don’t know how you deal with this guy some times.” 

“You don’t know the half of it.” He replied and continued.

——————————————————

They split the team, needing some still on Earth keeping things running but also needing this mission to go over quickly least Bruce be stuck in space for months at a time again. 

So coming with Bruce and Joker was Wonder Woman and Superman, heavy hitter and his friends who wanted to make sure he was safe. J’onn J’onzz the Martian man Hunter and John Steward the green lantern, both who could navigate space the best of the team, Shayera Hol, Hawkgirl who was also knowledgeable of space travel and had volunteered to aid them and make use of her military and invasion tactics. The last room was for Draaga who gave them coordinates to follow but other wise kept to himself shut off in their room.

Part of the conditions of Joker coming with them was that he was confined to his room for majority of the flight but Bruce had also argued that they needed to make sure not to push his mental state when he was willing to help and so he was allowed to take meals with the team and have an hour to stretch his legs in the cargo bay as long as he was being watched. 

Now they had around a week of travel to try and survive. For the first few day everything went rather smoothly. There was animosity between Joker and the Team and Draaga, the fighter was also aggressive to Bruce but they kept away from each other. 

He knew what would set Joker off and so worked with him when he could to try and plan around what information Draaga had give them. He just couldn’t let Joker get bored but of course that was inevitable when stuck in such close quarters with nothing to do.

The team was spread out in the little kitchenette area of the ship, some leaning relaxed against the wall, Bruce and a few other sat at the table when Green Lantern brought Joker in, the man skipped along and roughly dropped down into the chair next to Bruce as he usually did. While he normally didn’t mind he had to flick Joker’s fork away from his own plate and keep reminding himself not to take from the other’s as well. 

He was speaking to Hawkgirl when he felt a light pressure on his thigh. When the joker was out they all wore there costumes and masks if needed so Bruce could barely feel the pressure of touch but there was enough for him to just know Joker was touching him. Touching him in a room full of Justice League members. He didn’t pause in his conversation or even stutter, he just kept talking, keeping his long practiced poker face. All while knowing Joker’s fingers were teasing over his cod piece. He managed to glance at the joker and the man was just eating with his other hand and watching him like he was listening in to the conversation. He looked at Clark and he was caught in conversation with J’onn so he just didn’t react. 

Even though it was the knowledge Joker was touching him over the actual feeling he was getting hard and was thankful it wouldn’t be noticeable under his suit. He was almost able to ignore it and focus on finishing his meal when the hands slipped away and instead Joker stretched and made a pornographicly loud moan “This journey is so long and hard, you close yet?” He asked Bruce and ignore the other who glanced at them “To getting us there?” There was a lot of mischief in his eyes. 

“We’re a day or so away from the half way point.” He replied straight faced. He had no choice but to play this game and try not to let it get out of hand. 

Again Joker groaned in a way that didn’t really sound like disappointment. “Darling can’t you go faster?”

“We’re travelling at faster than light speed, we are going faster than previously humanly possible. Be patient.” 

“But Batsy I want you... and me to get out there and kick some alien ass again. Oh the last time we _did it_ was amazing.” 

He glared at the other to let him know that this was just getting overly egregious now. Which Joker just took as a challenge, he stayed quiet until Bruce took the last fork full of food into his mouth before saying. 

“Maybe we can invite Suppie along to the cargo bay and see if we can’t tag team him and come out on tops.” 

Bruce felt the rice catch his his throat as he choked slightly but he managed not to start cough and just cleared her throat and swallows some water. 

“No fighting in the ship.” He managed to say. 

Two more days passed of Joker constantly making innuendos and constantly trying to get a reaction from Bruce before he couldn’t take it any more.  
  


———— ———— ——— ———— ————

“Keep your fucking mouth shut before I find another way to keep you quiet.” He hissed the low threat to the Joker where he had him pinned against larger stacked supply crates. 

Joker just giggled and shook his head “Oh yeah that will teach me, you do that and I’ll resend all my wicked ways I promise.” And Bruce growled at his lofty attitude.

It was late on the ships cycle and a few heroes were already sleeping and he had sensors in place to notify him to anyone came close to cargo bay door. Normally someone kept him company when he monitors the Joker’s free hour but not this time. So he pulled the man to a spot unseen by the cameras. 

“Oh my sweet big bat boy, did I get you a little frustrated hmm?” He teased “at least you have a rubber suit, I think I might have given battle barbie the wrong impression yesterday hahahaha.” He stopped Joker’s laughing when he pushed his knee between his legs. 

“You’re causing your own problems, Joker.” 

“Well why don’t you be the hero and save me from myself?” Joker sighed as he started rubbing himself on Bruce’s thigh. He was already hard from anticipation and Bruce wasn’t too far behind him. 

“You asking me for help?” Bruce dragged this out just a little more, needing to tease Joker back from all he had to endure from the man. 

“Oh Batman, help me, save me.” He moaned salaciously. Bruce hushed him as he slipped his hand under the man’s shirt teasing his gloved fingers over the man’s chest. “Oh come on Batsy, touch me.” 

“I am touching you.”

“Touch me lower.” 

Bruce moves his hand lower running his hand I’ve the budge in his khaki pants that was part of his travel wear. Again he only pressed lightly, teasing until he started getting a bit more desperate. He waited for Joker to beg before he unbuttoned him and started stroking his cock properly. 

Joker was loud and he knew it so Bruce sealed their lips together and kissed him to keep him from drawing anyone’s attention. It was stupid to be doing this here but he felt the Joker shudder under him and the pure bliss on his face kept it devoid of malice. He wanted to give this to each other and they had gone so long without needing to hold back. 

He kept his hand moving slow, watching as Joker thrusted his cock into his gloved and in a desperate bucking, pale hands griping onto black amour. Bruce swallows the low and satisfied moan as the criminal spilled himself over Bruce’s hand. 

“Now you’re saved from your frustrations and at a lower risk of being shot out an air lock.” Bruce murmured, eyes fixated on how Joker was licking up the mess he made on his fingers. 

“My fucking hero, ladies and gentlemen.” He purred “So good to me, why don’t I give my big brave hero a nice reward for saving me. How about a big sweet kiss?” Bruce leaned in close but Joker just dropped to his knees and started opening up the lap of his suit. “I never said where I was going to kiss you, detective hot stuff.” 

After being teased for days all he could do was hold onto the boxes in front of him and close his eyes as Joker’s hot and skilful mouth went to work. The man was just as enthusiastic about getting sexually as he was when they first got together. Bruce had to bite his own glove to stop any noise from escape his own mouth as Joker went between tease his tongue over the tip before taking him in deep, each time trying to get it deeper before Bruce was clutching at green hair as he came. 

They were catching their breath, Joker standing on wobbly legs as they leaned into each other, both content while Joker grinned toothily. They didn’t have long before the controls on his arm let out a buzz. They rushed to tidy themselves up, Bruce needing to help the Joker more than himself. For a moment he panicked not knowing how to explain why they were casually standing here. It was then he saw a flash and he just reacted, grabbing Joker’s wrist where he had a pen knife that almost went into Bruce’s neck. 

He frown and squeezed his wrist and that is how Diana found them. “Oh great, now she is gonna misunderstand too. I swear I was only looking for my toothbrush, pulling this out was an honest mistake, I really thought it was my brush, imagine if you didn’t notice and I used it, how bad that could have gone.” Bruce squeezed harder “Ow, Ow, Ow. Okay, fine.” He dropped the knife. 

He was torn between the fact Joker had some how hidden a knife on him and the fact he was glad for the quick chaotic thinking he had.   
  


—————————————————

As a result however Joker did have to spend the last 2 days in his room, losing his privileges of being allowed around the ship. Bruce didn’t even fight it and beside he might be able to sneak in for an hour or so to make sure Joker doesn’t get too upset in his isolation. 

But it was Hawkgirl who spoke up after they agreed about the clowns punishment. “I know the rebellion wanted him to be here, that the image of you both mean a lot and it will keep Mongul from going to Earth but... I’m starting to think we shouldn’t have brought him here.”

“I don’t think he would have done much damage with a pen knife.” Bruce replied but she just shook her head. 

“Batman... Bruce, _I don’t like the way he looks at you_.” 

So they were noticing. “Joker does have... an obsessive personality but he won’t... even when we got back he has been different. He hasn’t really tried to kill me and his vendetta is more out the Legion of Doom.” 

“I don’t think that is what she is worried about... _Darling._ ” Diana chimes in and Bruce winced at her calling him that. 

“Oh I liked Batty baby.” Hawkgirl continued, nodding at Diana.

“Please don’t.” He told her and then Clark piped up.

“What’s wrong, Batsy.” The man grinned at him with a boyish smile.

“Stop it.” He warned again.

“I’m sure they mean no offence... bat-amore.” J’onn said, stifling a laugh as well. 

“That’s it, we’re done here.” He got up and with a flick of his cape left for his room

  
As much as Bruce wanted this space flight to be over he still didn’t know exactly what to expect when they reached the rebellion. He stayed in his room ignoring most of his team lest they start calling him pet names again. 

The warning came out that they were approaching their destination. He stepped out and joined the team and Draaga, looking out through the view screen. What lay before them was a shattered red planet. 


	3. cracked by a hammer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> familiar faces, unfamiliar places and the boys plan hard and so get to play hard after.

The planet would have been large, much larger than Earth, with a deep red soil, darker than Mars with streaks of silver through it and dark patches of now petrified forests. But it seemed like someone had taken a chisel and cracked it right down the centre. Pieces breaking off and at a barely noticed pace were expanding outwards from the centre. Smaller fraction of the planet's layers were suspended around like a cloud of dust was surrounding it, hiding behind it a warmer glow right at the centre where the core would have been. 

They were all quiet as they watched, Clark seemed to be taking it quite hard and Bruce knew why. “We were too late.” Superman thought aloud. 

“Yes, you were.” Draaga hissed staring at Bruce before he shook his head. “He came after this planet first, some people made it out... a lot did not. It is being used as a base for the rebellion.” He pointed at one of the sections of the planet's crust, in a jagged diamond like shape. “Not likely for him to use his weapon here again.”

The team started getting themselves ready in somber silence. Eyes down, trying to prepare for what they might face once they landed. They made sure they brought some good medical equipment for those who might need it. Seeing how many resources they might be able to spare. About an hour later they watched as the ship approached the planetary debris and they could see this white shape on the surface, it looked like several large white domes of varying sizes which were connected by thick tendrils. 

Draaga typed in a code and in another language started barking orders through the mic. There was a returned voice and he brought the ship down to one of the domes on the outskirts, apparently being directed to an airlock type docking station. 

Bruce left the cockpit and knocked on Joker’s door before unlocking it. “We’re leaving in 20.” He told the other, closing the door behind and relocking it behind him. Joker was snuggled up in his bed half asleep still. 

“Hmmm ok, lets go be heros... in 10 minutes.” He nuzzled back into his pillow. 

“No, now.” When Joker didn’t move he flicked up the covers and grabbed his ankle to give him a yank. “Ah fuck, okay.” He laughed and gave him a weak kick on his thigh. Bruce was already mostly prepared so he stayed with Joker, watching as he finally shed his ugly tourist clothes and redressed into proper costume. 

He had a lighter purple swallowtail tuxedo jacket which had a yellow inner lining and a red and white flower pinned to the lapel. A dark green half-and-half pattern shirt and bright red suspenders attached to a darker purple pinstripe suit pants. Batman socks, shiny black shoes and black gloves. He did not look like he was about to go exploring the remains of a new planet but he did look good. 

The criminal sat cross legged in front of a mirror and carefully -but quick from practice- did his make up, evening out his pale complexion to a pure white and painting his lips red before carefully smudging it to follow his scars. Bruce just watched him but he couldn’t get the image of that broken planet out of his head. If he didnt know the reality of the situation he would have thought that it was beautiful. But it happened because he valued them escaping over stopping a man like Mongul. Joker eyed him, probably knowing how his mind worked and reached out, grabbing Bruce’s hand, pulled him down to the floor too. “Let me fix your eyes.”

“I can do them before we leave.” Bruce huffed but still lowered himself to the floor. Once the hero was sitting comfortably he removed his cowl and Bruce just closed his eyes and waited. After a moment he felt the other man draw in closer, his breath brushing over his face before he felt the warmth of an ungloved hand cupping the side of his face before a thumb was brushing over his eyes, spreading cool, powdery black make up over his eyelid. They were quiet as Joker did this very carefully, he kept his eyes closed but imaging Joker was probably making those faces he didn’t when concentrating on applying make up. He finished smudging around one eye and he felt fingers go to his other eye. 

“You know... I could stick up thumbs into your eyes right now and you couldn’t stop me in time.” Joker whispered.

“I know, J... would it be funny?” He asked not moving an inch, not opening his eyes but getting ready to stop the other if necessary. 

“Oh it would be funny... but _not funny too_. For such such a dark brooding boy your eyes are so bright. God, you look so cute like this.” He started to relax a bit as Joker just finished smudging under his eye and then there was a press of lips against his forehead, his nose and then at last his own lips. “So adorable.” He cooed and then Bruce opened his eyes again. “There, perfectly done, if i say so myself! You’ve never looked so tall, dark and handsome.” Joker said proudly. 

Bruce leaned to look at his reflection and yes his eyes were painted very dark in the centre and smudged out to ensure every part not covered by his mask was dark but he noticed something else. ”Did you just intentionally get lipstick all over me?” 

Joker grinned and Bruce brought his hands up straight away only just managed to push the criminal back as the man tried to kiss him again making exaggeratedly kissy noises at him. “Stop!” but the other man did get a chuckle out of him for his efforts.

After wiping the red from his face and making sure there wasn’t a trace of it left he placed his cowl back on. The both stood up and Joker pulled him in with an arm around his lower back “Look at us, all dressed up for a night out on the town. We are so gorgeous, wanna take some selfies?... that looks like a ‘no’ stare... is it a no?... yeah okay fine.” Bruce grabbed the man by his chin and pressed a kiss to the side of his face. Thankfully his foundation didn't transfer. 

The two exited the room, the other members if the JL were making last minute prep and making sure they could all survive unharmed in the atmosphere of the enclosed space habitat. He brought him into the cargo bay, watching as the man started packing his backpack and hiding things away in his many, _many_ hidden compartments sewn within his suit. 

“We can come back to the ship if we need anything.” He told him as he watched the man try and stuff the jack-in-the-box into his backpack. “I know, I know but... what if we can’t and we need it. Can’t risk getting caught out again and you’re one to talk, Batsy, you’ve over packed too.” 

“You don’t know what I packed.” He replied but Joker just gave him a dull look and Bruce rolled his eye and went to grab his pack which was waiting on top of some boxes, bulging from him using all available space within it. 

“I’m not the only paranoid bastard here.” Joker smirked when he saw it but then he went to take his hand. Bruce took it just to squeeze it for a second before letting it go, the JL were wandering around the ship and they weren’t as protected in here. He did give Joker a soft look to which the clown just stuck his tongue out at him. “Scaredy-bat.” 

—————————————————

The team stood together, once the airlock pressurised and they were able to leave. Joker stayed at Bruce’s side as the cargo door opened and they stepped down to ramp onto the red soil below them. In front there was a large shutter door which rolled open and a small orange alien in a jumpsuit as at the pannel which by the trail of cords was the one controlling the airlock. 

It looked at them with a curious look before its gaze travelled to himself and the Joker. Then an extra set of eyes opened on its face and the alien made a screeching sound and ran off.

“Oh I think you scared him off.” Joker said to J’onn who just looked confused and now slightly offended by the clown.

“Come on.” Draaga huffed and started walking, they all followed. Inside the habitat there seemed to be a mismatch of many different technologies and life forms melted together. Many of the aliens paused in their work repairing and building to look at them. They exited the ship area and walked down what would have been the tendrils they had seen. It was a wide hallway with tents and very simple living construction. Some of the aliens living in them had injuries but for the majority he assumed there was just a limited amount or resources to go around duding by the state of things. There were family, those who were young and old, so many all crammed together but still in there was the knowledge of this being a terrible few to have been left.

He saw some species he thought he had seen from from the arenas, either as fighters or many more from inside the crowd. The JL were looked at with guarded curiosity but eyes followed Batman and Joker, many stepping out to get a glimpse of them. Bruce could see more of the joined symbols, painted on skin or sewed into clothing. He saw a few more with the symbol cut into the skin by the alien’s carrying weapons. Other fighters. The ones with the symbols seemed to recognise them and some started to follow from a distance. 

Draaga brought them into another dome which had the ruins of a stone building in the centre. Around it was smaller stone ruins, covered in what looked to be like banners and posters. This seemed to have once been an important place, some grand castle or stone building, but now only a few inner rooms remained. Judging by the moment inside this building seemed to be the base of operations.

As they got closer, he had originally dismissed the posters and art but now could have a closer look of them. They were the handmade posters he had seen from the audience. He looked over them catching glimpses of other fighters that looked familiar and many he had never seen before. He saw the bug creature which was paired with the lizard creature which had broken through the glass and was the linchpin for Bruce finding the will to and ideas to escape and his eyes searched for more purple and black which seemed to be their main colours. And sure enough there they were.

Aliens were still a little off with proportion, Batman seemed to be more animalistic, bigger ears, mouth black, big wings. But Gotham had seen him like that when he had first appeared as well. Joker was a bright figure of colours and blood spray. Most showed Batman facing a foe being touched by a red beam, he guessed being teleported out while Joker’s foes were dead on the floor. He saw the figures of them surrounded by the four foes they had to fight to learn Mongul’s name, the foes however carried the injuries already, frozen wings, a head almost vivisected, cut spine, and worst of all the creature whose face he had melted. 

The fights were not something he wanted to remember. But before he looked away one mix of black and colour caught his attention. It was looking more abstract but it was still easy to see the figures of him and Joker, entwined within a box, facing each other, seemingly touching. It hit him then it was a scene of them within the arena which was closing around them. When they thought they would die. When they thought they would die and kissed for the first time. Bruce walked faster to get within the building hoping the other wouldn’t see it. 

“I am so leaving with some of those as a souvenir.” Joker said excitedly as he kept pace, swinging around to walk backwards to keep his eyes on them all. It seems his memories of the fights weren't as heavy as they were to Bruce. 

There was a door which looked newly put on the half collapsed stone building, it opened and the smaller orange alien who had ran from them came out pointing at them to another alien behind it. They were an only slightly taller than the other one with purple skin and no hair. One that looked very familiar. They started speaking excitedly but the team looked at each other not understanding. Draaga sighed again and yelled something back which made the alien jolt before pressing against its long neck. 

“Champions, you have returned! I knew you would be back! It is I, R’ishan.” It was hard to read alien body language but there was a quiver in their limbs that might have been excitement. The alien held in his hands a batarang and Bruce was now sure this was the alien which had helped them to escape the first time. “We were unsure if you could be found, you were the first two to defy Mongul and the first to hurt him. Batman And Joker have returned!” 

Joker just looked at him with a goofily proud expression but Bruce stepped up closer. “We didn’t know about his weapon, I’m... I’m sorry for all the damage it caused. We will do everything we can to help protect the survivors and stop any further attacks.” He promised. They were selfish and he didn’t like how they were treating them like they were doing anything else than just trying to survive. 

“Batman! Some one needed to stand up against him, he was destroying planets before, very slowly and so easy to accept. What he has done, what happened for you to escape was... Many rallied behind what you did, I stayed around, I gave warning, many were lost yes but you gave many the bravery to defy him. Mongul should not have had this power and it was only a matter of time he found an excuse. We thank you for your support, Batman.” He looked at the man beside him. “-and from you, The Joker. We believe in your ability.”

“Oh pppfffff i'm just here because I was cheated out of ripping Mongul apart when we left.” 

The JL didn't react well to Joker saying that but the Alien in front of them grinned and laughed. “The champion fighters of Mercy and Punishment have returned for us!” He called out, unzipping his shirt to show off his blood signed shirt and held the batarang up in triumph. There was a roared cheer from behind them from the little crowd which had followed them here. 

They were ushered inside and saw this looked to be a war room. Tables were littered with papers, blue prints and photos. Computer monitors of different sizes with a mess of wires surrounded the room. 

“So champions... _and others?_ “

“We are the Justice League, heros of Earth.” Clark said proudly.

“Oh more heroes, like the batman. You must be so lucky to work alongside the batman ” The alien’s eyes were on him again and Bruce was getting a bit uncomfortable with all the attention.  
  
“Oh Yes, its a great honour, why we wouldn’t be heroes if it wasn’t for him.” Clark said in a light and teasing voice which made Bruce shrink down a little. 

“No… No, I'm lucky to work with them. They are all very powerful and will be a great asset in stopping Mongul, I’m very lucky they agreed to help me fix this.” he stressed. 

Wonder Woman and Hawkgirl stepped forward and talked with R’ishan, helping sort the data and figure out the best plan of attack. R’ishan explained that Mongul had an independent teleporter and managed to escape the mass breakout. The fighters were hunted down, either being forced to return or killed. Those who had planets nearby had them threatened with the weapon. The planet they were currently on had taken in many fighters and tried to hide them. R’ishan did warn them of the attack, many who could have left before the attack but some didn't have anywhere to go or were worried that the planet they went too would be targeted as well. R’ishan found them and slowly they had be building this safe area and planning a take over.

“Do we know where his weapon is?” Hawkgril asked. 

R’ishan brought up an image on one of the many monitors. He expected a satellite but maybe what appeared on the screen was whole metallic planet.

“This is War World?” Diana asked as they all studied it. 

“Yes.” R’ishan told them “Mongul is within, he has not left his world since he started his rampage.” And on another Monitor he recognised the teleportation codes. They were mirroring the panel war world had and he could see they had captured fighters again. He looked at R’ishan who grinned up at him “I was the tech runner.”

“So, where is the weapon?” He asked, looking at the blueprint Wonder woman had just found. 

“Oh you miss understand, War World is the weapon.” R’ishan stated.

“Oh... it’s a full on Death Star.” Joker said excitedly “So where are the trenches?” 

The alien and the amazon looked back at the Joker, perplexed. 

“The weaknesses.” He supplied before he had to hush Joker from ranting about them not knowing the movie.

They all spent a few hours looking over plans and talking with R’ishan and other rebellion leaders so came and joined them when the news of their arrival spread. Bruce fell into his single minded focus and only partially kept track of the Joker who flitted around the room, interrupted people's focus or chatted up with any fans who seemed to have wondered in for whatever reason. Occasionally he would press his shoulder to Bruce’s and give some varyingly useful tips on how best to cripple structures and cause the most damage. They finally collected everything they might need and shared it between each other.

“So what's the final plan, this is my favourite part, when he makes a plan.” Joker hopped up onto the table, leaning back with his hands on the map while he just watched him.

Bruce rubbed his hand over his chin as he thought. “Well we will need to deal with all the fighters that stayed loyal to him or are scared for their homes. According to this the cells were we- _me and the Joker_ \- stayed in are right… here and here. There are a lot of them.” He said pointing to pictures or War World.

“Then we both need to get to Mongul and destroy the gun before he realises we’re taking his fighters.” Hawkgirl and they looked at each other and he knew what she was thinking. 

“Distraction?” He asked her

“Distraction. We take some fighter and go get his attention and hopefully lead a lot of the security away from the gun.” 

“We need to get the prisoners out fast and I doubt all will go easy but if we can get them to the escape pods they could all escape.” He looked back to Joker. “We’re who Mongul would want the most, he would need to regain his honour in the eyes of his people so-“

“Rematch!” Joker said brightly and the rebellion leaders around the room were showing agreement. 

“Rematch.” Bruce nodded to him before looking back at Hawkgirl. “The actual cannon of the weapon will be in this area, that is its major weak spot but we should also attack here, here and here. The power generator and targeting system. Make sure they can’t rebuild or repair it once we’ve cripple the barrel. Also if we can attack here and here would destroy the area teleportation system, his included this time. It will stop War World and prevent Mongul from fleeing again.” Bruce’s fists curled on the table “All these attacks must be instantaneous. we can’t let him go again.”

“I’m fast but that is still a lot of places to attack at once.” Clark pointed leaning to see him while Joker sat in his way, the clown leaning back further to break his line of sight again. John replied before he did anyway. 

“Space is big and he has a lot of technology on this thing, we can't tip him off to what we are doing.”

“Knock knock!” Joker called out to interrupt Superman who was about to start talking again. Bruce looked at him with a raised eyebrow before the man motioned with hand for them to continue as he tried again. “ **Knock. Knock.** ” 

Joker looked around the room before Clark hesitated and tried. “Who’s there?” 

“See four.” 

“Um... see f-“ 

“C 4 yourself!” He yelled and dumped his bag over the table as the grey blocks of explosives slid out. 

“Oh, right, you let him keep those, didn’t you. I mean... I guess that could work, cover more areas at once... i guess.” Clark replied, looking perturbed at Joker’s actually helpful contribution. They talked over the plan more, assigning more and plotting where they could all be placed and where they each could enter from and how. They would have a big element of surprise and they needed to use that as an advantage.

——— ———— ——— ———— ————   
  


Eventually it drew late and they were already jet lagged from intergalactic space travel so they were being offered food and one of the buildings mostly left standing to leave their things and rest if they needed. The others wanted to try the alien food but instead Bruce stepped out to get some air, preferring to wait for the frozen meals on the ship. Diana found him looking over the graffiti covering some of the ruin, the black and reds or the batman-joker symbol painted on the stone.

“Even in such a dire situation you became a symbol of Mercy.” She pressed her hand to the dry paint. “What do you plan to do with, Mongul?” She asked, tone even, eyes staying on the paint, like she was doing her best not to sway his answer with a reaction.

“Keep him distracted while the cannon is destroyed.” 

“With the Joker by your side rather than us.” For a moment Bruce panicked, she figured it out, some resistance member said too much or she saw the banners they had made. Denial was on his tongue but she spoke again before he could. “I understand you wanting revenge and not wanting to be the one to swing the sword but using the Clown won’t make it much easier. I know how much you force yourself to carry.”

He was quite for a moment, just digesting what she said. He could lie but he didn’t want to for this. “When we were trapped together...” he remember the pop of the creatures limbs. “Joker kept me on task, kept me saving as many as I could even when everything was stacked against me making that choice. I stopped him from killing Mongul when he had the chance... when I promised him that chance... I have made peace with it. We both were… changed from being there.” He looked at the soil under his boots, how the red dust coated him almost up to his knees. “I'm sorry if i have disappointed you.” 

“Bruce...” she clasped a hand behind his neck and pressed their foreheads together. “No, you haven’t at all. You are so strong, even now, don’t forget that. I fought wars, I have taken lives for the good of the cause, I believe Mongul signed for his death long ago. I just don’t want you adding more guilt for people you couldn’t have saved.” She gave him a small squeeze which still had a lot of force in it. “Now, cheer up, Batsy boo.” She said with a grin and Bruce groaned at her. 

She left him and Bruce started to walk back but he saw a tuft green behind some wreckage and got a better idea. Joker pushed himself up and started walking away as Bruce rounded on him from atop a half standing wall. He used the height to drop in front of him, surprising the other man. “Ears dropping?” 

“A pretty girl goes to a pretty boy, i'm going to be curious.” 

“I... we weren’t-“ 

“Hahaha oh I know you weren’t, you’re just so cute when you’re trying to repress being flustered. Actually I got you these.” Joker held out his hands which had pointed berries he recognised. “You liked these. Or I just fed them to you those times for the heck of it.”

“No, I did like these, thanks J.” Bruce took some from his hand and shared it with the rest. “How are you holding up.”

“Ugh your friends are so needy, Darling. Always wanting to talk and play with me, I hope _you_ aren’t getting jealous. I’m sure the green one wants some of this.” Joker said skiing his hand down his chest. Bruce didn’t even ask which green one he meant.  
  
“How can I not be jealous?” he said in deadpan.

“Hahaha I knew it. Don’t worry you have me all to yourself now, come on let's go explore!” And so Joker took him by the hand and started to pull him into the little ramshackled town. 

They walked around, now without the team with them others were coming up to them, some had whatever dermal implant which allowed them to be translated, while others just spoke excitedly at them in an incomprehensible language. Joker eventually convinced him to try some of the food they were handing out and they sat atop of a high rock structure in one of the domes and looked out over the town just continuing.  
  
“It’s nice to be able to just be ourselves again.” Joker said and rested his head on Bruce’s shoulder. “We should holiday here here more often. Maybe get a summer home or something.”  
  
Bruce snorted “I’ll keep that in mind if we ever need to return to space.”  
  
“You would do that for me? Even if your team starts asking why?”  
  
“If I can.”  
  
“Good enough! My hopes and expectations are waaaay up now!” 

Bruce had noticed someone was approaching and just kept half an eye out for but they chose this moment to step up and speak. “Fighters of Mercy and Punishment-”  
  
“Can’t you see we’re having a moment!” Joker yelled at him and she paused and looked between them.  
  
“A moment?” she asked and Bruce just placed his hand on Joker’s thigh to calm him.  
  
“Can we help you?” Bruce asked and the 6 foot tall, grey skinned feminine looking alien of what might be Draaga’s species looked up at him while holding up her big hammer. 

——— —— ———— ——— ————

The red soil of the training ground had a ring of what could have been salt or some type of white mineral. Other fighter were setting it up while the Joker was still convincing Bruce to go through with this. He didn’t step foot into the ring until he made sure everyone understood the new rules of this fight. No Death. No maiming. No honour lost if they tapped out. Tap out when you want to stop. No Death (it was worth repeating a few times). This was for training purposes and he could stop the fight when he thought it was over. or if both parties were pushed out of bounds or where on the floor or- The Joker dragged him into the ring and then Yemhaell the alien who approached them and another feminine looking fighter of their species named Vroqik stepped into the ring with her large axe. “I want right, you go left!” Joker yelled at him and they both charged. 

Bruce watched and saw when she would swing her hammer and moved out of its way, when the hammer crashed into the soil he jumped on it and kicked off, kneeing her in the chin before flipping over her to land behind her and going to kick the back of her knee. He heard Joker laugh as the axe thankfully missed him too and she led him back a few steps before he twirled his jacket off and used it to catch the axe. He tried to yank it from her hands but she was much stronger than him. 

Yemhaell was that strong as well and didn’t falter her stance so he managed to get another kick to her back and he was ready for her to swing from the sides but she just swung the hammer over her head and head, banging into his leg before he could move away fast enough. “Very good but if I was stronger I would have taken your hammer.” he told her but she just showed her teeth at him.  
  
“But I know you are not stronger.” she said and he heard a few whistles and calls as the fighters who watch heckled and hollered. 

Joker realising he couldn’t disarm Vroqik that way, left his jacket tangled around it. Whatever his jacket was made it seemed to be holding up well against the blade which had seemed pretty dull as well. He pulled what looked at first to be a lipstick from his pocket but he pulled something from it and it sprang out like a black cane with a golden finish and gold spikes where the handle should be. She had longer arms and was taller than him too but now he had reach. He didn’t give her any time to get the coat off her axe before he was rushing at her, aiming for the face and into the centre of her body, gaining the steps back that he lost. 

Bruce and Yemhaell traded a few more punches and hammer hits, the impact of her weapon rattled his bones even through his suit and he was sure he would get a few bruises by the end of this. She got a particularly good hit in and it sent him flying back, sliding into the red dirt, almost outside the line but not quite yet, he looked up and saw Hawkgirl looking down at him. “Hi.”  
  
“Hello, Batman.” she said looking down at him. “They’re coming for you.” She warned. He waited until she was closer before he pushed up, feet first to kick her in the stomach before he was up and running through the arena. He saw that Vroqik had freed her axe now and held it above Joker so he ignored Yemhaell for a moment and pulled out his grapple gun and shot it at the axe. When she went to swing down he pulled it and Joker spun and used the momentum to hit the spikes into her elbow causing her to drop it at the same time Yemhaell caught up with him again and yanked him back by his cape to throw him to the ground, his finger off the trigger the grapple retracted pulling the axe with it. 

“Bats!” he heard Joker desperate call to warm him and so he didn't even look but rolled away just in time as grapple’s momentum sent the axe right into Yemhaell’s armoured shins. the armour stopped the worst but It still cut into them and she cried out as she had to steady herself with her hands on the ground but she just growled and predictably didn't tap out yet. He looked at the other lady as she did look between her fallen companion and the Joker who was closing in on her. But Joker rushed at her now that she was weaponless and he used his speed against her, getting strikes in and moving fast enough that she couldn’t the cane. She was a little shallow but still bleeding holes all over her limbs now. Bruce ran in and called out to the villain, throwing him the now retracted grapple before he slid to kick the back of her knees while Joker first aimed the grapple at her head dropped his aim lower, catching her ankle. Together they send her crashing down on her back, her arm and part of her head falling outside the circle. 

The crowd started crying out again but while Joker sucked up the praise and cheered as well, Bruce went to Yemhaell to check on her. “You did well.” he told her. “Just make sure you check in with your surroundings and keep in mind the chain reaction moves can make.” she huffed but sat back and nodded. 

Vroqik pulled herself up and walked over, seeming to hesitate. “I can carry you to medical?” she offered. Yemhaell hesitated but then nodded and after the fighters thanked them they walked off, the other fighters cheering the women as well. He yelled out to the training court. “We’re no longer being forced to fight together, we choose it. Learn your team's fighting skills and help each other in battle. It’s not dishonouring, it's survival and what it means to have a team… to have a partner.” he faced away ands a swath of purple and yellow covered in red dirt, he picked ip up and dusted it off. Once Joker’s coat seemed clean enough he looked up their eyes met, they tossed the grapple for the coat in unison.  
  
“You want to show them what it’s like when two partners who know how to fight together fight you?” Bruce heard Hawkgirl yell before he stepped into the ring. Bruce had forgotten in that moment he had seen her and she would have been watching.   
  
“Class is in session.” The green lantern who Bruce hadn’t noticed in the crowd added as he stepped in too as his eyes and aura around him shone bright green. Hawkgirl too, lifted up her mace and it started to crackle with lightning. 

Batman and Joker looked at each other, gave a nod and turned back to face their new opponents as the crowd around them rose up in cheer again.

  
  



	4. Dashed by a Mace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Batjokes vs. GreenHawk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bruce gets a little introspective... mainly 'cause the author was listening to Hoizer at 3am while editing... whoops

Bruce had sparred with all the team members before, he made it a point to learn how to work with their style out in the field and how to fight others who better physical abilities than himself. He never forgets that he is just a human. But he couldn’t tell the intentions behind this fight. Shayera and John saw how he fought with the Joker, there was a tell in how well they worked together, how they watched out for one another. It could be explained away but he couldn’t help but worry that this was an attempt to gain more information on them. 

Or it could just be a fight because they saw a challenge and wanted to give a show and see how the Joker fights. Either way he couldn't say no now. 

The circle was fixed up and they moved to different ends again, Joker pulling his jacket back on and straightening it out, cocked his head in the other hero’s directions. “Dark dealers choice.” the villain said eyeing the two, he seemed ecstatic about this turn of events and was practically bouncing on his toes. 

“I’ll take Green Lantern, you Hawkgirl. She is strong and ferocious, calculating but is prone to being impulsive. You’re more impulsive than anyone I have ever met so you can use that to your advantage with her, be hard to predict, make her angry.”  
  
“Oh Batsy, you sharing trade secrets with me for a play fight? You're that competitive, eh? I could permanently knock out the competition.” Bruce narrowed his eyes at the man, who held his hands up in surrender. “Relax, she's not my type and my dance card is full anyway, no using this knowledge for bad blah, blah, blah. What about mint choc-chip over there? Incidentally the worst ice cream flavour.”  
  
“I like mint.” he said and Joker looked at him with a scrunched up expression.  
  
“ _I’m fighting you next_ . Mint does not belong in desserts there is _maybe an exception with candy canes_ but that's it!”  
  
“Of course, J… Now back on track, Green Lantern is tactical but that can make his moves predictable. The ring normally gives him a full body shield and can conjure any object he wills to but can only focus on creating so many things. We’re fighting in a smaller space so that will limit what he can make as well. I’ll need to keep him on his toes and attack from multiple directions” 

Joker hummed in thought as he eyed her before he reached into Bruce’s space. “What are you doing.” he said, catching Joker’s hand. 

“Relax, Honey Bat, what? You think I’m going to grab your cock for this fight, it’s a weapon for sure but I’m going for my third favourite thing you keep under your belt.” he purred and then took his grapple back.   
  
“You need to get your own.” Bruce huffed but let the man take it.  
  
“Then buy me one.” the clown snarked back. They turned back to their opponents who were also whispering to each other. They both knew how Batman fought, yes, but Joker would have an advantage in the fact they never fought him before. “So how about we make this a little more interesting!” Joker called out, getting their attention. “A little wager to keep all us friends motivated to keep beating each other up.” 

“If we win, once we’re back on Earth, no breaking the laws for 6 months.”  
  
“Deal, when I win, I get to name the ship!” he called back and ignored Bruce’s protest. His choices seemed a little premeditative. 

“Deal.” John called back as Hawkgirl laughed behind her hand.  
  
Bruce stopped and stared between three of them. “It’s my ship. None of you can make this bet.” 

Joker continued to ignore him and started counting down before he even finished talking. “Are we ready? 3, 2, 1, go!”  
  


Bruce will deal with whatever this was later and got ready to fight. Bruce usually waited back but they would know that so he followed on Joker’s heels and they both went to throw the first punch. He and John smirked at each other, trading fists and kicks, blocks and dodges. They were just sparing as they usually would in the base. Joker and Shayera on the other hand, he heard her battle cry as she had rushed right in to meet the Joker head on. There was the metallic clang as his cane would meet her mace. She was blocking his attacks as he kept trying to push forward, only to unexpectedly jump back and from inside his own coat threw some chattering teeth towards her. While she was hovering just above the ground she had still been rushing back towards him and got caught in the small blast and sent shooting back and into the ground. 

“Is that allowed?” John asked and it was an unsportsmanlike move, yes, but all Bruce saw was him dropping his guard and he clocked him twice before John brought his shield up and flew up himself. “Oh, is that how it is gonna be? Okay, bring it, creep shows.” And the man got back at him by forming two big fists of green energy and slamming it down a top of him, crashing him to the floor. When glowing fists rose up again Bruce pushed up and dogged their next attack, swapping out his type of batarang and throwing them wide as he rolled out of the way of another attack. The batarangs had locked onto the man’s movements and rounded in, catching him in the side and emitting a burst of sonic waves, forcing John and the other two in the ring -as well as a few in the crowd- to cover their ears.   
  


John dropped to the ground and Bruce kicked John in the gut, and then again, almost making him roll back, Bruce was going to get him over the salt line but with a crunch the sound stopped. He looked back and saw that the Hawkgirl had crushed the device under his mace. “I’ve always hated that one.” She muttered. Before she cried out again and flew towards Bruce. He ducked under a swing and rolled away but Shayera was quick and caught him in the back as he went to stand again, giving him a bit of a zap himself, she swung again and hit him in his side before he blocked it but he was also able to punch her in her jaw.   
  


John got up and went to join the fray again but he heard the chattering sound in time and green energy build around him like a mech-suit and shielded him from the explosions. When the flames died he stared down at the Joker who was much smaller than him in his creation now. Joker gave him finger guns before he ran away.   
  


“Switch back! I want to switch back!” Joker yelled ran towards where Batman and Hawkgirl were fighting and when Bruce heard him he managed to kicked Hawkgirl back and dropped to his knee so Joker could use him and a spring broad and jumped off his back, swinging his cane and striking Shayera across the face, almost knocking her headpiece off. Hawkgirl was knocked to the ground but when Joker went to strike again a green shield formed in front of her. Joker laughed and cracked down on it a few times but then it turned into a comically large baseball bat and sent the man flying, landing in a pile of flailing limbs into the red dirt, almost out of lines but not quite. He sat up and held his ribs. “ **Bats… my arch-nemesis**.” he growled before falling into giggle fit “You get it? C-Cause its… its a… and you are.” he was clutching his sides as he laughed more.

“Did I hit too hard?” John asked and his mech-suit fell away as he looked considered at the clown rolling in the dirt. 

  
But Hawkgirl learned from his mistake and while Bruce was torn between checking on Joker, charged at him. He went offensive and started dodging but then it was two on one as John started sending projectiles of green energy at him from a green energy cannon he created. He got struck a few times which was slowing him down. The grapple claw suddenly clamped around John’s for arm and he was yanked to the side, his phantom gun shooting out into the crowd and he dropped the creations to focus on freeing his arm. Then his eyes were on Joker, who had gotten back up “Howdy, peppermint Paddy.” he winked.   
  


“You should have stayed down, clown.” Joker was wrapped up in green energy, John grabbing him back with a beam of green energy to pick him up and slam him back down. But the distraction gave Bruce an opening and threw an electric charge batarang at John’s back and tased him, though at a lower volt than usual. John still fell again, but it let Shayera get in another hit, sending him crashing back too. She raised her mace up and swung down but suddenly Joker was there, catching the mace in both his hands to try and hold the attack. 

“I like this, whatever it is, any chance you could write me into your will?” Joker asked but Hawkgirl just smirked right back at him. 

“Any chance you could put me in yours?” and her mace started to crackle with electricity again and the current traveled through the Joker. His body shuddered violently until she pulled the mace from his hands. But when she did his hands were sparking still, he shook his head out and looked in wonder at his hands as the joy buzzers he wore. 

She blinked at him but Bruce swiped her legs, she fell but before Bruce could attack again his leg was caught by green and he was dragged back away from her. 

Hawkgirl stalked the Joker, he swung his cane again a few times which she blocked with her mace but he then used the momentum to spin and get a kick in. “How many of you do you think I could kill with one stone?” he taunted and then just continued to insult her. Then he started just evading her strikes until he reached into his pocket and threw a handful of glitter into her eyes. She cried out and she was starting to get annoyed with him. Now she started ramming the mace down, Joker blocking by holding his mace in both his hands.  
  


Joker slipped and fell back, Bruce jolting away from John as he watched as Hawkgirl swung down with too much strength. Joker looked frightened, his hands going up in panic. The crackling mace stopped an inch away from his nose, Hawkgirl panting as she had to use a lot of strength to stop the blow from landing, if it did, Joker might not have survived. “Are you okay she asked?”  
  
  
Joker’s panicked expression changed into a dark smirk _“Hehe oh you Heroes_.” he spat and before she could react he used the proximity that they had to slap both hands around her arms and the overcharged joy buzzers lit up, the shine lighting up his grin as he electrocuted her. He hoped the smoke was from his gloves and not her skin. 

She pulled herself away but dropped down to the floor panting and he could see her arm muscles twitching and her hands shaking. Joker laughed but then looked down as his hands were still smoking and sparking. Bruce ran over and in a rush ripped both his gloves off. They were surrounded by a cheering crowd so he had no other choice but to throw them up high in the air. They were encircled by a green bubble before they caused another small explosion. 

“Well… that could have ended badly for my guitar playing career.” Joker giggled but it grew weaker and he dropped back to lay in the dirty, Shayera followed suit after and then him and John just lay back too. The crowd around still cheering but growing a little confused now.

“I think we might have gone too hard.” Shayera said as they all were just breathing hard and finally feeling all the aches and pains from the ‘sparring’. 

“You three, maybe. I was in control, I don't know what the hell was going on with you guys, I just wanted an easy spar, damn.” John said back to them.

Hawkgirl chuckled a little. “ well, it’s good to know Joker isn’t getting any nicer from being with us. That was a risky and manipulative move… I’m almost impressed.” and that sounded genuine. 

“Thank you, you weren’t so bad either, I like how you screech a lot just like the bird you portray. And yeah, I saw an opportunity with the buzzers, It seemed like a good idea at the time... but those were my favorite pair of gloves.”  
  
“Oh… silver lining then.” She replied, closing her eyes and giving a long yet pleased sigh.

Bruce was quiet for a moment before speaking up “It was a tie, no one is naming my ship. Now... let’s not tell Wonder Woman and Superman what we did.” Joker started laughing next to him. 

  
————————————————  
  


They eventually got up, the fighter’s were still excitable and asking questions, trying to get them all to keep fighting but they were all very much done. Hawkgirl's arms were a bit useless, Joker was walking with a limp, Bruce felt like a mess of bruises and John had a few cuts on him. “Okay let's go back and we can heal up” he suggested.

They started walking back, ready to just rest for a bit, it felt like they had been awake for too long now. Even though he was stumbling from his bad leg, Joker danced around, swinging his cane reenacting the fright. Hawkgirl talked with him, about his weapons and his fighting choices. He never really gave straight answers but he was at least answering, seemingly in a good mood. Bruce liked seeing them get along, he knew it was tenuous and would be short lived but he could see in a better world Joker might have been able to fit in with them. Maybe like a forced in odd puzzle pieces but still a part of them nonetheless. 

They were almost at the rooms they had been allocated when they saw that all the other heroes were in front, handing out water bottles, food and a few blankets as well as sharing the healing salve and helping with wounds. 

“Any more of those?” Shayera called out which ruined Bruce’s plan of maybe sneaking past them. The team looked up and saw them, Joker waved happily back before whipping his bloody lip. 

“What happened?” Clark asked  
  
“Well we had a little fight now didn’t we.” Joker said and slapped John playfully on the back which had the man wincing in pain. There was a rush of air and Joker was gone the next moment and being held up in the air by Superman. Joker just laughed excitedly and swung his arms and legs out. “Look Bats! No hands!” 

“Stop.” Bruce’s hands went to his belt and he was about to shoot something at Clark but Shayera placed his hand on Bruce’s arm, stopping him.  
  
“Superman, it’s okay, we were at the training grounds. Doing some sparing for the other fighters and so we could fight better together when we face Mongul. No funny business from the clown… well not any that we couldn't handle” Hawkgirl explained calmly and Clark lowered him slowly to the ground. 

“Oh, sorry, Mr Joker, my bad. Can’t be too careful now.” They walked inside the building, talking about the fight but Bruce stayed back. The fighting had brought back all the protectiveness he had felt on War World. He was getting too careless with what he was showing in front of the team. He can’t keep daydreaming that they would understand them if they knew. He couldn’t keep taking risks. 

“Are you alright, Batman.” he didn’t jump but took a deep breath before he turned towards J’onn who had come up beside him. Now this was also a risky interaction. 

“Yeah, I’m okay, Just… thinking.” he replied.  
  
“You do that often my friend, maybe too much for your own peace of mind.” J’onn said with some amusement but also that kindness which made Bruce wish he could confide him. Imagine if he did just casually mention what was going through his head.  
  
Instead of explaining exactly what it was he gave a more general “It’s just… this place, War World…” a hand rested gently on his shoulder.  
  
“That we we are a team, we are here for you, Bruce.” 

Bruce nodded and tried to calm all his thoughts. “Hey do you know how long the day cycles here are?”  
  
“The lights never do off but they dim for 10 hours every 21 hours so… maybe get some rest.”  
  
“...maybe.” 

He entered the building and Diana dragged him to a coat behind a little privacy screen and while Joker was getting treated by Shayera. He had a good few deep bruises and she helped him to get his armor off but he didn’t let her rub the salve and did it himself. “We only have a few more days to prepare, try not to wear yourself out by then.” she told him and gave him a playful nudge right on one of his wounds. 

————————————————

Bruce had fallen asleep, letting the cream do its work. He woke up, not knowing how long he had been out for but the lights outside had a dull glow now but there was a light in the other room. He jolted up realising he didn’t know where the Joker was but took a deep breath and stood up slowly. Only then seeing Joker was asleep on the floor, swaddled in blankets at the opposite side of the wall, facing his bed. He could see there were a few more heroes now asleep in other beds. 

He crouched by him and was tempted to pick him up and place him in his own bed but he released where Joker was, Hawkgirl and J’onn J’onzz had a perfect view of them from the other room so he stood up and left him there. 

He joined the Hawkgirl, Green lantern and the Martian around the small barrel fire they had. He was tempted to go back to the ship for a proper meal but instead grabbed a trail mix bar from his bag and a thermos of cold brew coffee and had those while sitting next to them. They said hello to him and continued their conversation, he half listened and he nibbled. A little while later Shayera snagged his cup from his hand and drank from it. 

“You know I was testing to see if he could even fight Mongul… I respect your judgement, I’m not saying that I don’t but we might get only one chance, so I just needed to make sure since he is a human and weaker than even you… Not that we don't all know you are capable, just… _you know what I mean_.” she took another deep sip and gave him back the cup. There was barely anything left in it. “But I learned something else in that fight.” She was quiet for a moment. “I don’t trust him, and honestly he does really creep me out, no matter how I try to act like he doesnt when I’m around him. But I think you were right, he doesn’t want to try and hurt you… It’s hard to tell with all the-” she gestured around her face. “But I think he actually was really scared for you when danger flies your way.” 

Bruce didn’t really know how to respond and tossed the last few drops of coffee into the fire. J’onn spoke up too. “Being around him, you can just feel the chaos of his mind but it does calm around you too.”  
  
“Is there a point to this?” he asked them, maybe more bitting than he intended but they were hitting way too close to finding the mark. 

“Calm down, Bruce.” She gave an amused huff and a light punch to his shoulder. “You’ve seemed eager to help the guy since I've known you. Just thought that maybe you are doing something for him. Maybe it’s okay you brought him along, directing that chaos.”

He sighed and looked back at him, makeup smudged and he was still covered in red dirt. “I’m trying but I am worried about there being a limit to how much I can help. Right at the end of our fight…” he trailed off, just remembering the look on his face and then remembering the fight where he had been injured and just what Joker had done to the creature who had caused it.  
  
“Do you think he wanted to kill me?”  
  
“I don’t think he would have cared either way. I believe the Joker is holding himself back right now, he is smart, he knows this is the way to get what he wants but… Whatever his past and that vat of chemicals made him, he was changed into a type of predator, he will always be a force of nature.” The funny thing was that he had known this for a while, he had also known it didn’t need to be changed for them. Sometimes creatures just found each other in the dark and that was it.   
  
She nodded “He’d care if something happened to you. I thought he might try and attack you at first, he just kept looking into the room after Diana left. but he was checking in on you when you were asleep. Like it was a habit. Like any other moment you might be gone.”  
  
“We had four months together being displaced every other moment, I keep expecting to just suddenly be somewhere else since we landed.” four months and a year. They had had an anniversary that they didn’t celebrate but both of them knew the day it fell on. He snuck some leftover pancakes Alfred had made for Jason at breakfast and they had it for dinner together not saying anything about it. 

“You wanna talk about those months now that we’re about to fight the dude who captured you?” John asked and it was almost annoying from the light tone he said as if it was okay that he was going to say no and they all knew he would say no.  
  
“Nothing to say which I haven’t written in the debrief I wrote up.” They all know there had been more but he thought that right now they were starting to question what that might be. 

————————————————

During the next few days they didn’t go starting any more fights, Joker pulled out a new pair of gloves which he warned people not to ruin since they were his favourite. They were finalising plan ideas and instructing and teaching the fighters what would need to be done. They were taking stock of all their weapons and what ships they could use. Superman was also aiding in the construction work to expand the shielding and repairing ships and whatever other jobs needed heavy lifting done. Some of the aliens were watching him in awe which Bruce was a bit grateful for, Gothamites aren’t so easily swayed so we weren't used to this level of attention he had been getting from strangers. 

R’ishan was still their number one fan and was devastated that he had missed their fight and he actually managed to weasel two more memorabilia from them in a Joker card and an infrared flashlight with a bat signal on it to unbreak his heart. Bruce later saw him showing it off to impress and seduce others so he was sure that heartbreak was well and truly soothed. 

But they wanted to get this done right away and it seemed like in no time at all that they were facing the last night before the attack would be launched. Joker had been being bounced around in whose custody, Bruce volunteering less Just because after the fight he thought they needed more distance before the team started connecting more dots. Tonight however the man searched him out, he saw Joker waving off J’onn who surprisingly left, allowing Joker to climb up the ruin he was perched on and sat next to him. 

“How did you find me?”  
  
“I just thought to myself, where would be the most dramatic location to have some pre-battle brooding. And low behold look what I found.” Joker leaned his head on Bruce’s shoulder, nuzzling into the uncomfortable kevlar with a small content sound. “You ready?”

“I have to be. Just… we need things to go right, I can’t-”  
  
“Ugh yeah, I get it, everything that goes wrong in the universe, it's your fault. It might be good for your mental health if you just become evil with me, you know, less time to brood when you’re looking hot and giving speeches.” Bruce stayed quiet but leaned his head back on top of the Joker’s. “...He won't get away this time. I’ll kill him. I’ll kill him for you and then we can go back home and everything will be perfect.”  
  
“Ok.” he replied because he didn’t see how things could actually end in a different way and even if he did he didnt know if he would choose it. Ever since the fight with Hawkgirl and Green lantern he was just thinking about that desperation Joker had to keep him safe. It was a dangerous aspect to the Joker, he knew if he didn’t watch it Joker would use it to burn away all those around him, the team, Jason, Dick, but he couldn’t deny how the devotion and protectiveness could make him feel too. Suddenly he was a little guilty for keep Joker at such arms lengths the last few days, even if he had his good reasons. 

“You know-” Joker started and he could tell just from the way he spoke where this was going to go. “-no one would be in the ship right now, and I think I can find a way to get your mind off whatever is troubling you. Clear your head and make sure tomorrow when we’re fighting you can still feel who you’re fighting for.” 

It was probably troubling that that line worked on him but he had been looking for an excuse for them to spend some time together anyways.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “How did you find me?” Bruce asked.
> 
> "I put beautiful bat bitch into a GPS and it lead me right to you." The Joker wanted to reply.


	5. Strangled by rope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joker takes care of Bruce before the rebellion starts but after withholding for so long our boys get a little careless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys I am at heart a smut writer, its just happens, I try and keep things short and moving but... I just gotta get the smut in.

The habitat was still in its long day cycle but after a quick bout of spying, he saw most of the heroes were resting already or talking more with a few of the aliens. Bruce jumped down from the house he had been watching them from and found Joker running back, rolls of paper and fabric rolled up under his arm. “So… to the ship?” he asked but Bruce snagged one banners from the villain and unrolled the image, it was them, standing with hand in red-roped hand held up, surrounded by the four challengers they had beat. He just gave Joker a hard stare and the villain just waved it off. “I said I wanted some! Imagine how good it would look in our secret tunnel of love.” Bruce rolled his eyes and handed it back. “Good now that that is settled… You going to run for me, Batsy?”  
  
“Am I going to run?” he asked but curiously.  
  
“Yes, since I’ve been chasing you for attention these last few days, might as well make a game of it.” Bruce didn’t really have anything to say to that, just pulled out his grapple and used it to hop over the little house and started running. Smirking at the yell of “That’s cheating!” yelled after him which turned into roarous laughter. The aliens didn't seem to be questioning why the two men were running through the town but Bruce tried to stay in the less open or busy areas. 

He had done his best to remember how to navigate the habitat and he was barely out of breath before he reached the ship, he looked back just to see that Joker was right on his heels, grabbing his cape and trying to pull him back but Bruce just stopped and crouched. Joker slammed into him and got his arms on the man’s legs and stood up, posters squished between them as he piggy backed the laughing man. “Caught you! Oh the great Batman has fallen into my _very intentionally_ done trap of carrying me, now onwards!” Bruce shook his head and hiked the Joker up a little higher before he slammed his fist on the button to close the ship's doors behind them, just in case. 

He brought the clown to his own room, seeing as Joker’s room always seemed to be a bit of a mess. He let Joker drop onto his bed before he locked the door to his room. Joker had shoved the posters under his bed before he sat on the edge of the bed. “Come now, Caped Cutie, I wanna make your eyeshadow run.” he grabbed his utility belt and dragged Bruce in. 

“Careful.” he said and was going to bat Joker’s hands away before he got hurt but he pressed the unlocking mechanism in the right back and managed not to set off the trap. His belt got thrown and then piece by piece his amour dropped in fragments around him. He tossed his cowl away and watched as Joker ran the soft leather of his gloved hands over his chest. Armour off, walls down. 

“It seems like so long since I’ve seen you like this.” Joker pressed a few kisses over his chest, causing smears of lipstick over his skin. Bruce started pushing the other man’s jacket off but stopped to cup his hand under Joker’s chin and made the man look up at him.  
  
“You know that I… I wouldn't...”  
  
“I know, Batsy.”  
  
“I don’t…”  
  
“You never do.”  
  
“... I’m sorry.” He leaned down and kissed him, slow and deep. “They’re just noticing us and I think it’s-”  
  
“-My fault, because I’m just so funny and handsome and they know if they were stuck in a room with me they wouldn’t be able to keep their hands off of me either. Yes, understandable. _I just drip with sensuality and my hot and raw animal magnetism_ is both a blessing and a curse.” Joker said in full drama. 

“Exactly.” Bruce relended and continued helping the other man strip until his chest was bare. 

“Why don’t you make it up to me? Lay back and _I’ll even do all the work._ ” 

Bruce crawled onto the bed and spread out on his back. “Is it making it up to you when you’re the one doing it.”  
  
“When it comes to you Batsy, yes it is.” 

Joker crawled over him, pushing his thighs open so he could fully settle on top of Bruce, the man’s make up was a mess of red around his mouth and as their lips collided again he knew his own would be too. He didn’t mind it, whatever lipstick the Joker was using smelt like synthetic roses. 

The man still had his suit slacks on and it rubbed against his bare cock and he could help but buck his hips up against it. The fabric was suspiciously high quality and so the friction wasn’t rough. There was a heated and slow grind as they just shared wet kisses, taking the moment to just be like this, letting the kiss grow more filthy as the heat simmered. Joker eventually pulled back and started pressing his lips across Bruce’s jaw and down his neck. “Oh what would they think, seeing The Batman looking so debauched? ...What a lucky Joker, probably.” the man sat up and rubbed his thumb over the corner of his mouth, probably rubbing more of the red over his skin. 

“Are you just going to keep talking or are you actually going to do something, clown?” 

“Watch the sass _or you might be on your way to a time out_.” Joker purred back and gave a firm slap to the outside of his thigh. Joker then sat back on his heels and started patting over his pockets before reaching in one, arm disappearing half way up his forearm before he pulled two condoms out and a packet of lube. Because of course he had those. Not that Bruce didn't have some in his belt too. “Star trek or Star wars themed?” he asked.

Bruce laughed and picked Stark Trek since that one’s packet did not advertise it as being glow in the dark like the other did. “J… just, why?”  
  
“ _We’re in space, Darling_ , like I wouldn’t go with the aesthetic. Not everyone finds joy in being as boring and strictly practical as you, my dear.” 

Joker tossed the one he didn’t need away to the floor somewhere he would need to locate later. He then slicked up his fingers and started prepping him while mouthing and biting over Bruce’s chest. He did as he was asked and spread his legs further, closing his eyes and just focused on feeling those long fingers work him open. Joker’s movements always carried the undertones of his excitement, quick motions and being a little rushed but still making sure he did it properly. 

“You know I still haven't been choked out by your thighs yet, I keep telling you I would prefer that than a headlock. They are so thick and gorgeous, your whole body is.” Bruce learned a long time ago there was no way to stop Joker from running his mouth and just accept that the purr of his voice was a would always be associated with sex. He felt the joker shuffled down lower between his legs. “You are so perfect and the way you just squeeze around me.” Bruce opened his eyes and his hand moved down to grab Joker’s hair and pushed him away when he had felt the hot, wet slide of his tongue around his rim.  
  
“J, you don’t need to do that.”  
  
“I know, but I chose bubblegum flavoured lube for a reason. That reason is I want to. You’re so sensitive and jumpy when I try. You embarrassed, Darling boy? Come I’m almost done, if you really don’t like it tell me to stop but if not-” the rest of his words were muffled. 

Bruce bit his hand and tried to make himself relax around Joker’s fingers again, it didn’t feel bad but it did feel a bit much. The wet noises from Joker's mouth being so loud in the quiet room didn't help either. Especially with how much eagerness he acted with. The hero was panting and unconsciously rocking his hips by the time Joker let up. “There we go, Darling, all nice and ready for me.” he heard the foil sound of the condom packet being opened and hopefully clean hand rubbing on his thigh to get him to tilt his hips up. 

“Deep breath, Darling.” he said and entered him slowly. “Just you and me right now, It's like our first little space trip together, no one but us for light years.” The criminal placed his hands on his chest and started rocking into him, purposely trying to tease that one one spot inside him and quickly picking up speed. “So gorgeous… all hot and tight inside, so perfect for me.” He continued to whisper obscenities as his thrust grew quick and uncoordinated, which had the added effect of just keeping Bruce’s mind there, attention unwavering. 

It wasn't long before Bruce was clutching at the Joker and regardless of him asking to do all the work, he planted his feet on to bed to help him buck up into the thrusts. “J...J, come on, touch me… J, please touch me.” he wasn't made to wait, a hand wrapped around his cock and he started stroking him quickly, Bruce arched his back and a loud moan broke from his lips. 

“You know I didn’t want to kill the birdbroad that time in the fight…” Joker was hovering over him and panting, Bruce looked up at him through fluttering eyelids. “ _I wanted to kill her, and all of them when they dared call you my names._ I've been hearing them-” He never broke speed just jack hammering into him and stroking him into a mess where he couldn’t interrupt what the man was saying nor do anything but wither under him as the words washed over. “ _Those are my names for you, they don’t get to have them_ . The only reason why they didn’t get poisoned or otherwise have something unfortunate happen was because... you didn't just let them call you like you do for me. I’m sick of them thinking that you’re theirs over mine. **You’re mine, Darling!”**

It was too much and Bruce just threatened his fingers into Joker’s hair and pulled him down for a kiss. They both shuttered gasped, fingers clutching and legs squeezing and Joker gave one last hard thrust. The criminal nuzzled into his cheek happily as they caught their breath.  
  
“You know I don’t want them like I want you but they are my friend’s, J.”  
  
“Yeah, I know… I’m being good, just, thought I'd share.” 

"Yeah, you always have the best timing for that." They untangled themselves, Joker happily showing off that they had gotten science blue before they kicked the sheets away and curled up together on the bed. Bruce actually feeling relaxed now. “Computer, wake me up in 3-” 

“ **5!** ” 

“-4 hours.”

——————————————————

Bruce woke up sometimes later on his own, he had a little paranoid feeling about how rested he felt and he checked the time on the wall and jolted up. “Fuck, Joker… J, we need to get up, we’ve been away for too long. “ 7 hours away will mean that someone will notice they have been gone. “Computer time on the alarm?” he asked in confusion and the computer dinged back.  
  
“347 hours remaining.” Bruce rubbed his hand over his face because that was a stupid mistake. 

Bruce was careful and pressed a few kisses over Joker’s face, coaxing him gently out of sleep, murmuring about how they were late and needed to get up now. Eventually the man groaned and blinked up at him. “Jesters aren’t nocturnal.” he groaned.  
  
“You want to share a shower?” he asked and that had Joker sitting up. 

Joker finally finished stripping out of his trousers and Bruce watched that lily-white arse dart off to pick the shower’s temperature. Bruce followed and caught himself in the mirror, he looked how the press assumed he would look coming back from his yacht trips with supermodels lipstick all over his mouth, face chest, legs, eye shadow half rubbed off and some trail marks from either sweat or stray tears. If you ignored all the fading scars and bruises he had it cold have been a very interesting party. Joker came up behind him and wrapped his arms around him, kissing behind his ear. The criminal looked just as bad “It’s waterproof but I’ll help you scrub.” 

They touched a lot but they didn’t have enough time to let things get too carried away, as easy as it was for the makeup to transfer it did take some effort to get rid of all the red tint which would be more noticeable for Bruce. When they got out and dried up, helping blow dry each other’s hair and then quickly redid their make up in the mirror, Joker helped check to make sure his foundation covered up any red tint from around his mouth and then stealing some of his eyeshadow in return. 

Re-dressed, Bruce was distracted by the rush and by Joker that he didn’t hear the metallic noise at the back of his ship. They were talking, Bruce’s cowl in his hands as he opened the door and stepped out only to see Diana walking up the hallway. They met eyes before the Joker stepped out behind him. “Oh… Hi.” He looked between them and frowned. “Okay I’m going to just wait for... whatever is going to happen to be over. Good luck.” he said to Bruce and gave him a little push out before the door closed behind him. 

“Diana it’s not what it-” She grabbed his arm and dragged him further back in the hallway so they wouldn’t be overheard. Bruce never had a moment as a teenager where he was caught looking at adult sites or sneaking off with girls but that is what this moment really felt like more than anything. He kept his head down and was ready to be scolded. 

“Are you having a nervous breakdown, Bruce? We are about to go into battle, I need to know what would possess you to show your face to him. Can you just tell that?” She leaned her head down to make their eyes meet and slowly rose her head and Bruce looked up following her gaze. 

He still paused, unsure if she knew what they were doing, if she could tell that they both had just showered, if any marks were showing. But she squeezed his hands encouragingly and he felt a pull and the words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. “No, I’m not having a breakdown, and he's seen me out of the cowl a lot…” he winced and closed his mouth and looked down at their joined hands and the golden glow coming from one of them. “You’re lassoing me.” he tried to jolt his hand away but she held his arm firmly. He could fight her but he didn't think that would help his cause much.  
  
She ignored any annoyance he showed and looked back at him with hard eyes and flat lined lips. “Are you saying that Joker knew who you were and you didn’t tell us… yes I understand it, four months, 24/7 it would have been hard to keep yourself hidden all that time. We had been worried about that. That isn’t why I am upset. You just never thought to tell us he knew? It’s a massive threat to you, we need to know this incase something happens. No matter how ‘friendly’ you two are now.”  
  
He felt the influence of the lasso again but he clenched his jaw and quickly tried to organise his thoughts and say only the truth he wanted to share. It wasn’t the first time he had felt its effect and he tried hard to work around it best he could “He doesn’t know my secret identity.”  
  
“You’re not exactly a no-one from Gotham. How can he not know who you are when your face is all over billboards and magazine covers.”

He thought some teeth might crack with how hard he was clenching them but this would be a tricky story to tell. “The winter gala last year, the Penguin had just bought his way out of Jail, he had been hanging low but showed up with a plan to rob the guests. Bruce Wayne was being threatened, Joker gassed the henchmen who were threatening me and-” _some time later_ “-the other guests. I...I-” _I went to kiss_ “-when I-” _went to kiss him and then_ “-said hello to him, tried to talk, he pushed me away.” _-he didn’t let me kiss him because- “_ he didn’t see me as him.”

——————————————————

Bruce had been trying to escape through the back of the grand hall so he could go change when he was found by Penguins men. Before he could fight them a canister of Joker's new gas rolled through past him to affect the other men. He thought Joker had been trying to save him but he was just getting rid of the goons. Bruce had swaggered up in his fancy three piece suit to the Joker who was looking into the ballroom through the windows through the doors. Bruce leaned up to kiss him whispering “My hero.” only for the Joker to jump back.  
  
“err...Mr Wayne.” he place a hand on his shoulder and pushed him back “Look, sorry there is no easy way to say this but...look you had your chance all those times I’ve kidnapped you or ruined your parties. Now I’m flattered and more than a bit curious but I -unlike yourself- am no longer in the top 10 hottest bachelor list, so… no hard feelings, Brucito, but it just wasn’t meant to be. Now, my plus one might be coming soon, keep an eye out for him but until then I have some catching up to do with my good pal over there… umm but we can still be friends?” Bruce had just stood there a little confused as Joker just gave an awkward pat to his shoulder and left to take out a few more goons. He paused for a bit too long before going to get his batsuit which was the reason Penguin is now missing a flipper. That was also why he couldn’t talk to Joker about what happened because he tossed him into Arkham for a month and then he didn’t know how to bring it up.  
  


\--------------------------  
  


“He doesn’t want to see it, I don’t think he sees Bruce Wayne as who I am, it’s always Batman.”  
  
“And the reason you didn’t tell us?”  
  
“I didn’t want you all to worry about me.” And that was just as big of a reason as his fear.  
  
Diana let out a long sigh and then let go of his hands “You know this _is why_ we worry about you, Bruce.” He went to open his mouth but she just pointed her finger in his face. “We’re going to talk about this after we defeat the tyrant. Now get going, everyone is waking up and they will definitely notice that you are gone. I won't force you again, I don’t like doing that to you but… You have to tell us what happened in those 4 months. It is obviously more than you have told us. I promise, Bruce, I promise I won't be disappointed in you. Whatever happened kept you alive and brought you back to us. You are my friend, I care for you like a sister-in-arms. Please… Don’t shut me out from something this important again.” 

She stepped back from him and Bruce put on his cowl and went over to the door. Inside, Joker was cleaning his brightly painted nails with a switchblade. He looked up at Bruce as he stepped in “Do I need to-” he mimed slitting a throat with his blade. “-you know? And then we can-” he mimed his fingers running and doing a few back flips which he saw to mean run away. 

“No… No, we just have to get going. Come on. And please stop threatening them.” 

Joker walked up to him and pressed his hand to his chest, right over the bat symbol. “Only when you stop caring so much about them.” he gave him a pat and then walked out of the room. “Hey Girl Power, You forgot your extendo boxing glove too?” he said, inching his way around her, comically trying to keep as much room between them. “You know if you wanted to join us in redoing our make up we could have had a girls night. Just a warning, our lingerie pillow fights will be to the death.” he gave a little two finger salute and rushed off. 

Well at least it gave them an excuse for both being in his room. Not that it would make her any happier with him. He walked past her with his head down. They both left quickly, Joker actually snagging a thick gun with a boxing glove at the barrel to hook onto his belt. They scampered out and managed a few steps away before Joker burst out into laughter. “Oh fuck, mummy will not want me sleeping over any more.” he grabbed onto Bruce’s arm and he had to tense it up and half drag the clown who was collapsing from from his upraorous laughter. 

“Joker this was bad!” he tried to tell the other be he was breathless as he hung off of him. Bruce rolled his eyes. The other man was like that for half the way to where the other JL were staying. He eventually stood himself up and pulled Bruce to a stop.  
  
“Darling, Mon bonheur, sweetie pie, Mon petit monstre, Batsy.” He took Bruce’s face in his hands but Bruce grabbed his wrist to pull them away. The lights were still dim around them and no one was around Bruce’s paranoia was spiking and he was stressed from what just happened. “Nope, no, no closing off on me. Head in the game. Who cares what she thinks about us, none of them matter, they can’t do anything to us. You’re the mother fucking Batman. Now you’re going to walk your armoured bubble butt into the room, you’re going to be a mother fucking hero, we’re going to decimate War World, go home, fuck like bunnies and yeah the tall broad might know but what she going to do. Tell you not to stick your dick in crazy? Oooh yeah that will scare Gotham’s cryptid straight. Fuck it, it’s war time baby!” he stopped trying to get his hands back up so Bruce let them go. “Keep your head up, king, your cowl is falling.” he gave Bruce a smack on the ass through his cape and kept walking.   
  
"Don't do that." he hissed but followed slowly behind. 

The other heroes were awake when he got there, most in the process of getting breakfast and coffee which they joined them in. Hawkgirl held up a cup of coffee to Bruce and a glass of water. “Ah there you boys are, we didn’t see you come in last night Diana went to look for you.” Joker giggled at that. 

“We went to the ship, just making sure we had everything.” Bruce said simply and happily took the hot coffee he was given.  
  
“Who can sleep the night before a party, I’m so excited.” Joker said going for coffee too but Bruce stopped him and gave him the water. Making sure he took his meds before he could get to the stimulants. Not even listening to his “I can fight better off of them.” complaints. 

The upcoming fight at least gave him something to focus on. After they had all eaten, Diana having come back part way through -both of them not making eye contact- they gathered in the base again with R’ishan. They made sure everything and everyone was where it should be, running down the plan. R’ishan would be on coms as well, keeping them all on task. 

“Fighters of Mercy and Punishment, The Justice League. I again, thank you for coming to our time of need. Mongul will no longer have control over us, we will take his throne and his world and no other shall lose their life or their planet for mere entertainment! We will all be the true champions of War World!” Again he lifted his batarang and now the Joker card as he cried out, the captains of the fighters, including Draaga, roared as well and the Joker woo’ed along with them. 

——————————————————

Batman’s ship was too big and they would need it to get back home so they piled into smaller, faster ships with the other fighters. Bruce found a seat and Joker of course dropped to the one next to him. Hawkgirl and John stole next to seats after him before the fighters could get to them. Bruce watched Joker and Shayera talking excitedly about fighting styles and destruction in general, all while holding the knowledge of her concerns and his aggression with the other. But regardless of how much Joker had threatened when they were alone, he hadn’t seemed to be exhibiting any signs of it when he was with the group. But no one has called him a pet name directly in front of him yet. 

Things grew more quiet as they could hear the ships taking off one by one, their arrival would be hidden from radar thanks to R’ishan’s knowledge of how the computer systems worked. “So twinkle twinkle little bat, how are we gonna make things splat? Any rousing speeches for us.”  
  
“Stay stealthy. Work fast and efficiently, without any risk taking. Don’t die.”  
  
“Oh yes, that was very rousing for me, thank you.” Bruce was tempted to kick Joker for that but resisted.  
  
A few others laughed however keeping it light hearted. “Yeah, that was awe inspiring. He always has a way with words.” John added. 

They were dropped a little way from the main stadium where they new Mongul resided in. The fighters were the first to move. The distraction. They would charge through, getting the attention of all the security bots and guards. The JL waited until the sound of laser fire and crashing metal filled the air before they all moved in. They would all enter in the same spot, a service duct. Superman punched it open and he grappled to it, hopping inside. Green lantern carrying Joker on merry-go-round horse up to it by request. 

They dropped inside and now would be when they would go their own ways. Batman and Joker finding Mongul while the rest covertly placed the Joker’s C4 packages and when they started fighting him, they could go for the big gun and take it all out. Superman, Martian manhunter and Hawkgirl would be going for the planet's controls and the gun. Diana and Green lantern would be going for teleportation panels and then the prisoners. 

They shared a few nods before separating but then Diana came and clasped her and around his forearm. “Don’t do anything for him that you will regret. Don’t make yourself suffer for others.” she whispered in his ear and Clark was obviously ears dropping this time because he gave them an odd look. “Good luck out there, Batsy.” 

Which was the wrong thing to have ended with because Joker slapped his hand down on hers. “He doesn’t need luck, he has me. The literal ace of Knaves up his metaphorical sleeve.” he stared at her until she gave Bruce a meaningful look and then let go. “Come on, Batman, Mongul isn’t going to destroy himself… that would have been too convenient, i guess.” Joker took his hand, holding his right with Joker's left, Bruce’s right and they ran deeper into the base. 

They snuck passed a few guards who all seemed to be in a rush to get to where the other fighters were attacking. But Bruce still felt like they were being watched. He didn’t know what it was but something was just off. They approached a room and R’ishan unlocked the door for them. It opened and he and Joker crouched on one side and peeked in. 

“Ah, there you are. I thought that all this fuss might have been you.” He heard Mongul’s voice and it felt like a weight in his stomach. Joker’s body which was pressed against his side tensed up completely. 

“I’ve come for you, Mongul!” came a yell back and the hero and villain looked up to see Draaga had followed them in. He walked down the hall, twin axes ready “I will prove my worth and face you in battle. I will get revenge for my kind!.” he yelled and soon took off running into the room.  
  
“Ok good, we let this idiot die and then we take over and hope he has been useful enough to have gotten a few hits in.” Joker whispered but that didn’t sit right with Bruce. So he leaned out a bit more to watch. They were in a large grey tiled room, there was a throne with some computer screens but strangely empty for being so big. Draaga was being played with. He was angry and it was making him stupid. He was just charging and hitting his axes against Mongul’s as the man smiled on like he was watching a child’s attempts.  
  
“It wasn’t personal, your planet gave them hope. I couldn’t have that getting in the way of how things are run here. Can’t have people think they deserve better than what they are getting. They might take too much and get greedy.” Now Mongul started to attack back, still in that calm and his strikes which were more calculated cut over the Bat-Grin symbol on his chest. “Things were working before that little uprising happened and they will be great again soon. But all betterment takes some suffering.” 

When Draaga went to strike again, Mongul dropped his own axe in favour of catching both of Draaga’s writes. “Not everyone has a will strong enough to take the pains for what needs to be done. But it can stop if you like, I can make it all go away.” Bruce watched as Mongul seemed to be moving him a few steps to the side, leading him.  
  
“What’s he doing?” Joker asked before Bruce saw a square above the man started lighting up where he was being held.

“Trap door.” “ _Trap door!_ ” Both said as they recognised it from an arena they had fought in. 

“He’s being led into the trap.” Bruce stood up and rushed to get to him, Joker gripped at his cape to stop him but the fabric just slipped through his hands. Batman couldn’t just watch a person get hurt, not like this so he went to push Draaga out of the way but the two aliens were strong and Draaga fought against him. It all happened in seconds and he heard the trap door open, he looked up and his only thoughts were 'Black and Purple, it’s their colours' before there was nothing.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If any of you have seen the animated Justice League show and what Mongul uses for his revenge, you'll know what is coming in the next chapter xoxox


	6. Shredded by Thorns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Self sacrificing is a dull ache

  
“No, no, no, no, Batman why did you do that, please, please don’t do this to me.”  
  
“Batman, please he’s getting away, fight this ugly thing.”  
  
“Please.”  
  
“Wake up!”

————————————————

_“Wake up.”_

“Come on, Bruce we need to wake up now or we will be late.” 

Bruce could feel the soft press of lips over his shoulder blades, he was in a bed of pure warmth and softness. He could have stayed sleeping forever even under the wandering hands on his torso. Eventually he did at least respond to the voice. “Hmm Five more minutes.” he groaned and there was an amused huff at his neck. He could feel the heated press of another body pressed against his own, the soft discordant rises of their breathing and he could tell their body fit perfectly together. 

“Well, maybe we could make it worth our while to stay in bed-” it was a low purr and the hands started wandering lower. He leaned more into the other person and gave a pleased hum. 

“Sirs, it’s time to wake up now. I have taken the liberty to use some of the fresh produce that the nice reporter had gifted us to make a vegetable and smoked salmon quiche, some extra pastrami, latkes and a pot of Darjeeling tea.” At the sound of the voice the hands shot away and he and the man with him chuckled softly like mischievous kids. Bruce opened his eyes and sat up with a yawn, smiling at Alfred.  
  
“Morning, Al, oh that smells delicious.” Bruce got up and stretched before sitting back against the headboard. Alfred placed a breakfast tray on his lap and of the man beside him before he left, but Bruce was just caught up staring at this companion.

“Thanks Al! Oh this looks good.” the man called out but Bruce just stared, there was just something not right about him. The man caught him staring. tilting his head and he looked at Bruce back. “What? Is there something on my face?... Bruce?”

“Sorry Jack, I just got lost in how handsome you are.” Bruce replied and combed his finger’s through Jack’s tawny brown hair and gave him a kiss to his temple. What ever it was he wouldn't let it ruin their morning together, it was too perfect just being here with him.

“Oh no, please don’t use the Wayne charm on me so early in the morning, my heart can’t take it, I'll just be a mess for the rest of the day.” Jack’s smile looked small but genuine. “Now I’m starving, if you don't finish your latkes I will.”

————————————————

They had a split walk in-closet, half Jack’s, half Bruce’s, many suits and shoes lay in neat rows. He walked as Jack’s long fingers danced over the fabric of the hanging clothes. Bruce paused, he couldn’t remember what his breakfast tasted like, did he drink his tea?  
  
“Oh which suit are you wearing?” Jack queried sleepily.  
  
“What?” his mind flashed to something sturdier and nightmarish.  
  
“Are you going with black or blue? I want to match.” Jack told him. Bruce went to the other man’s side and flicked through his hanging clothes. Many looked new, he started getting the memories of himself buying all of these to spoil Jack as much as he could. “Oh are you going to dress me, Mr Moneybags? So controlling, it’s making me shiver.” the other tease. 

“No… just, there was a suit you looked really good in, I can’t find it.” He was looking for something. Purple and black. 

Purple and black.

_“Please wake up!”_

His head jolted up to Jack. “You’re daydreaming again. I told you to go to sleep earlier, you night owl. So that one? I don’t know, It’s kind of showy. I don’t think I want that much attention on me. Especially if the press are out.” Bruce looked back to the Maroon suit he was holding. Was this is?

“You look so handsome in it though.” 

“Ok, ok, only because I’m going to make you wear the black one with a maroon tie from this one. We’re going to be one of those disgusting matching couples.” 

“I love being disgusting with you.” Bruce pulled Jack in to give him another kiss, the man didn’t laugh but he was sure Jack was happy.   
  


————————————————  
  


The sound of laughter filled the mansion, it wasn’t Jack’s, who… For a moment the sound bouncing off the wood and stone of the building seemed too loud, the vibration might cause them to fall apart. The volume and joy hadn't belonged here for so long. The laughter became bickering voices and loud stops, then like light flooding forth he remember what that sound was. “No running down the stairs!” he called out as they walked down the hallway to the foyer. He watched Dick as he chased Jason.  
  
“Just come here!”  
  
“No I can do it myself!” Jason yelled back as he tried to watch where he was running and tie his own tie.  
  
He and Jack shared an amused and exasperated look. They followed down the stairs and Bruce got in front of Jason catching him. “Will you boys ever behave together?” he chuckled and looked at Jason’s attempt at knotting his red tie. “Hey, remember what I told you.”  
  
“It’s okay to ask for help.” Jason repeated halfheartedly. 

“Here let me do it, all my boys looking the best for this lunch.” He tied it properly and smoothed it down. Jason had red, Dick has a blue. Purple and Black. “There... I need to watch out, you might just overtake my spot in the top 5 hottest men in influence.” he pinched the boy's cheek and grin as he sputtered and grew pink in embarrassment. 

“He won’t beat me though.” Dick grinned but then whined as Jack ruffled his hair. “No, I just styled it!”  
  
“Be nice to your little brother.” Jack said and affectionately placed his arm around the older boy’s shoulders. Bruce stood back and watched them all. There was bickering and disfunction but they were a unit and Bruce was excited to go do something as simple as just going out for an afternoon with them.

“Okay boy, get in the car.”

There was a twin chorus of “Yes, dad.” which brought a spark of warmth in his chest which he did his best to hold onto. It was something simple, they probably said that every day but he tried to keep it safe and locked in his chest.  
  
“Wait, dad, which car?” 

The car? Why was that...  
  
 _“Please Batman wake up!”  
  
_

————————————————

  
  
“Oh we’re here, and _only 7 minutes late_. Told you to take the other route.” Bruce didn’t remember the ride over. He had a terrible feeling that something was wrong. “Sweetheart, are you okay? You’ve been a little spacey today.”

“Yeah… No, yeah, sorry, hun. I don’t know what it is but...”  
  
“-But a strong coffee and a stiff drink might help?”

“I hope so.” he told the other man, he didn’t want to disappoint him. He leaned in and kissed him again which got him a “nawwwww” from Dick and some gagging noises from Jason. “Okay, Okay, come on boys, out you get!” They all piled out of the car, their boys sharing a few playing nudges before running into the restaurant. Bruce threw the keys at the valet before he went around and opened the door for Jack, offering his arm as the other man pretended to swoon before taking it. There was still something off about the suit but he looked so handsome. 

“Jack… does something feel wrong to you?”  
  
“No. Everything feels perfect. I’ve never been happier than when I am with you and the kids. Why?”  
  
“You’re not smiling… or laughing… I don’t know what it is but something is just… wrong.” 

“Naww, Bruce.” A warm hand cupped his cheek “Réveille-toi avec un sourire chéri.” the words made him shudder.  
  
“...Jack, what do you mea-.”  
  
The man’s thumb brushed against his skin. “Wake up.” and for a second Bruce couldn't breath.

“Bruce! Jack!” Bruce was confused and he felt scared but he couldn’t place why but then his heart really did stop when he turned to see who called them. “Just what I thought, you two love birds were showing off for the cameras again.” the man laughed.  
  
“Dad!” 

“Dr Wayne!” Jack left him and went to give his father a handshake.  
  
“Now, come on Jack, I keep telling you to call me Thomas. Or do you want me calling you Dr Border, too? Might get complicated if we both end up being a Dr Wayne.” His father said and gave Jack a wink and a firm pat on his back. Jack flushed, the corner of his lips rising but that still wasn’t a proper smile, Bruce was sure of it. 

“Oh god, Dad.” Bruce rushed in and gave his father a tight hug. They just saw him two weeks ago, they were only away for a short trip but god had he missed him so much. He squeezed tighter even when it made the older man groan. His father pat his back before he hugged Bruce back, giving a really hard squeeze himself. 

“Hey Brucie, my boy. What’s the matter? You crash another of my lambos or something?” His dad teased and Bruce finally let go, he had to stop himself from getting teary eyed. 

“Are you ever going to let that go?” Bruce half-heartedly complained. 

“Not on your life, buddy.” His father smiled down at him and Bruce was doing everything to remember the look of his face. 

“If we did, what else could we tease you with.” a softer voice said and he looked over to where his mother was sitting down at a table with her grandsons talking to her excitedly.   
  
“...Mum.” he rushed over and hugged her too, this time remembering to be gentler. “Hey, I missed you.” he told her softly.  
  
“I missed you too, sweetheart.” She said softly, he could smell her perfume. He had forgotten what it had smelled like, she had worn this one every time they had gone out and he had forgotten it. He inhaled it deeply, tried to keep it in his lungs, maybe he could find it again when he was… when…

————————————————

They all sat around the table having a light brunch and a few drinks together, his parents talking about their trip, the boys about school, Jack about his work with the patients at the Asylum he worked at. Bruce stayed mostly quiet, just enjoying them all being together. Regardless of that wrong feeling, he was happy, he was so happy it felt his heart might burst from his chest or more embarrassingly that he might start crying. Throughout the whole evening he held Jack’s hand under the table tightly. The man looked at him in concern but every other moment would squeeze his hand back or rub his thumb idly over his.

He had his family. They were all so happy. 

**Bang!**

There was a crack of gun fire.  
  
The sound made him jump, he swore it had been right beside him but there were just other people continuing to talk and have their meals “What was that?”  
  
“Probably a car backfiring.” His father said, waving it off. 

“I don’t think that was-”  
  
  
 **Bang!**

Again. The sound was loud and hurt his ears, piercing his skull. But still, no one else in the restaurant reacted in the slightest. The fear was back and it was gripping him and constricting his lungs. 

**Wake up!**

“Something is wrong.” he panicked and looked around, trying to find what it was but he didn’t know how to look for it.  
  
“Dad, I’m scared.” Jason came around the table and hugged him, a second he was tempted to comfort his son and try and ignore all the signs that this wasn’t how it should be. His family all sat around the table watching him, waiting. 

Bruce jumped at a loud sound. 

  
**“Fuck off hes mine!”**

“Oh this neighbourhood has gotten pretty rough, best just leave. I don’t know why you stay in Gotham. You could go anywhere you want. Take your family. Go be happy.” his mother tutted.   
  
“I need to help them.” he replied automatically.  
  
“No, son, you want to help them but there's no helping them. Just stay here, you’ve worked so hard already. Maybe you do need some rest.”

He looked around the table, his family. He loved them so much but he knew they were wrong. Them all being here like this was wrong. “I love you.” he said to all of them, looking at Jack “I love all of you.” He gave Jason a kiss to his forehead. He looked at his parents and said. “I will make you proud, I promise. I will do everything I can with the life that you gave me.”

He looked at his son. “I promise I will be better to you. I will try harder to be more a father than a drill sergeant.”

He looked at Jack. “I love you so much.” they all looked at him, all of them had tears streaming down their faces now. 

“Son, Don’t do this.” His father begged.  
  
“Please don’t leave us.” His mother begged.  
  
“Dad please don’t do this to us.” Dick begged.  
  
“Dad, please, if I promise to be good will you stay with us?” Jason begged. 

“Wake up.” Jack said “Wake up… Wake up!... Wake up!” 

Bruce turned his back on his children and ran out the restaurant doors, what had been a brighter midday when they arrived was a dark and rainy night. What once was a busy street with high end shops was now a long dark alleyway. Bruce kept walking until he saw a man step out of the shadows “Bruce get behind me.” 

The same words he remembered, the same lunge the same struggle. He wanted to close his eyes but he needed to see, needed to follow through, he knew it was the only way. 

**Bang!**

**Bang!**

Pearls scattered on the floor as his parents once again lay dead at his feet. 

“Martha!... Thomas!” He heard Jack scream and the man ran up, dropping to his knees, nervous hands trying to find a pulse on either of them. He was making little choked off sobs, his now bloody hand came up to cover his mouth as he tried to hold himself together. But in reality Jack hadn’t been able to stay sane. 

“Joker.” he called him. 

The Joker looked up at him, muffling sobs behind his hand until it fell away, the blood stained around his mouth, the sobs turned into laughter.  
  
 **“Get off of him!”**

————————————————

**“Get off!”**

Bruce came too and opened his eyes to the disturbing scene of a creature… a plant? Being torn off his chest. He could feel a stinging pinch from his chest as watched as roots were being pulled out from the cracks in his armour and from under his skin. He needed to get it off, he brought his hands up and pushed it alongside the Joker.  
  
“Batman… oh Batsy you’re back.” there was a shuddering relief in Joker’s voice. “Almost there, I’ve got you, baby.” with a grunt it flung off and landed in a wiggling mess on the floor. Joker’s arms went around him and held him up, hugging him close. 

It was a grisly looking thing. Like a bulbous and lumpy black flower, the center of the flowers opened up like a dripping maw with a pinker root with purple vines withering out. Bruce pushed himself to sit up, he held his hand up to his chest, the sting was nothing compared to the ache in his chest. Part of him wanted to just curl and have a breakdown up but they had things to do.  
  
“Batman are you okay?” That wasn't the Joker, he looked up and then realised the chaos around the room. There was a gun on the floor, a Jack-in-the-box swinging back and forth in front of them and Superman peeking in through the door.  
  
“Superman? Yeah I’m... I'll be okay.” Eventually. But he needed to focus on the now and not what he lost. He can't let Mongul do that to him, force him to live through that and then get away again. He saw bullet holes in the wall in front of Clark but a gun wouldn't be a threat unless- he looked for it and found a green glow coming from the Jack-in-the-box. 

“Did you bring Kryptonite?” And he had wondered why the box couldn't be seen through by Clark's eyes.  
  
Joker grinned down at him. “Need to be prepared for everything. Isn’t that what you always say.” the criminal nuzzled into his shoulder and even though Clark was right there but Bruce was just so emotionally tired so it let it happen.  
  
“How long was I out?”  
  
“Almost 10 minutes.” Clark said “Batman, I tried to get to you but Joker wouldn't let me. Close the box and we can go after Mongul and send Joker with the others. He can’t be trusted if he won't let us help you when you need it.”

“Only 10 minutes?” he asked, trying so hard to keep his voice steady. It felt short compared to the entire day he had experience but they had been chasing Mongul, they needed to hurry.

“You sure you’re okay, Darling- shit!” Joker moved quickly as it seemed the plant was capable of moving on it’s own, it tired to get back onto him but Joker attempted to kick it away. The vines lashed out, gripping at the criminal and it just crawled up his legs, curling around him and latching onto his body. Bruce grabbed on and tried to pull it off but it wrapped around him too tightly. 

“Joker!” Bruce swore, this was all going wrong. Why can't their plans just go right. He took a deep breath and stroked his hand through Joker’s vibrant green hair. 

“Batman!” he heard Superman calling him 

“We don’t have time for this.” He growled. He closed his eyes, took a breath and spoke again more calmly. “Draaga was following us, he rushed at Mongul and I got caught up in this trap saving him. He’s not here so he is probably still fighting Mongul but he gave away our present but he still doesn’t know about the team. Are all the bombs in place?”  
  
Superman was looking between him and the jack-in-the-box Jester holding the shard of kryptonite, probably judging if he could get to it.  
  
“Superman!”  
  
“No they’re not. Bruce it’s risky though, I know how badly you want to save him but you’re risking-”  
  
“I know what I’m risking! But he wanted to kill Mongul, that was why he came with us but he stayed here to help me find my way back.” Bruce lifted his hand to the side of his cowl. “Diana, Lantern, change of plan, Draaga went after Mongul before us, we’re going to get to him but you will still need to blow the transport system as soon as you are clear. It will bring a lot of fire your way.” he told her. 

“Almost in place.” Wonder Woman replied, any awkwardness they had between them before was completely forgotten now. They had work to do. 

“J’onn… I hate to ask but the Joker and I were attacked by some kind of… psychic plant. I got free but it latched onto the Joker.”

“Understood. I have your location, I might be able to help before we go to clear the prison cells. 

He looked up to see Clark still looking at him. “I feel like we’re going to be having a big talk later no matter what else happens just go. I can handle this. Hawkgirl can’t do this alone while I borrow J’onn.” 

Superman still hesitated but gave a nod. “Please be careful, Batman.” then he left, Bruce could hear him talking to Hawkgirl in his ear piece, letting them know they were okay. 

Then it was just him and the Joker again. The room felt empty and quiet, the sounds of battle and alarms seeming so far away. He tried to pull and unwind the plant as much as he could but he knew it wouldn’t budge unless the Joker allowed it to.  
  
“Joker! Joker Please come back to me.” he spoke into his ear. “I know you are probably seeing something wonderful, I have no idea what your idea of a best life would look like but I know what the plant made me feel. Please, Please come back to me… We’re the champion team… we have a fight to get to… please joker. Wake up.” He kept whispering to him, never stopping just calling his name, coaxing him away from whatever perfection he was lost in. But the plants hold wasn’t lessening. “Come on Joker, Mongul is getting away. Wake up. Joker I lo-”

“Batman.” Bruce saw the Martian as he phased through the wall. He walked over and crouched beside them. He didn’t say anything about how Bruce was holding the other man and carefully hovered his hand over the plant. “You were right, the plant has a high level of telepathic energy from it. It’s... using it’s memories to construct their deepest desires while it feeds off their body. How cruel.” 

“I had to reject the dream to be able to get it off but it still took a while, I know this-” he remembered how the other martian refused to link telepathically with the Joker. “I know this could be dangerous or at least highly unpleasant but… do you think you can help him reject whatever he is seeing?” 

The Martian did pause and assess both Joker and the plant. Bruce was preparing for the inevitable no but then J’onn looked up at him and gave a nod. “I will try.” He placed his hand on Joker's forehead and closed his eyes. 

It was quiet again and Bruce put his lips to Joker’s ear. As much as he knew it would hurt the Joker as much as it had hurt him to pulled out he needed him buy his side. He lost a chance of a life like the one he had been shown, he can't lose the Joker now too. “Wake up, J, come on I need you. We need to finish this.” He heard laughter but no from Joker but from J’onn, the maritain’s eyes were still closed but he had a maniacal grin. “Come on Joker, Wake up, I’m risking so much for you, no wake up… Wake up, Joker! Please I love you. Wake up!” He didn’t know how long they stayed there like that, Bruce repeating his please and J’onn laughing in whatever trance he was in but suddenly the plant started to move. Bruce grabbed it with both hands and pushed with all his strength, he got it far enough that Joker and J’onn’s eyes flew open. “Come on.” 

Him and Joker struggled to push it away, it started gripping both of them but Bruce was ready and pulled out a handful of his mini explosives and shoved them into the plants maw. They pushed with all their strength as the beeping sounded, the last second he let go to cover them both with his cape as the plant exploded.

There was a long high pitched whining sound as the creature which was now partly ripped apart from the inside, fell limply to the ground. They were panting and a little shaky from all the straining but they got rid of it. 

“As if i didn’t dislike plants enough as it is.” Joker chuckled and dropped his head back onto Bruce’s chest. “I miss our metal, concrete city, ugh.”

Bruce combed his gloved fingers through Joker’s hair and gave him a small kiss to his forehead. He looked over at J’onn to thank him but saw he was still frozen where he had been. He gently let Joker go and approached his friend. “Martian… J’onn!” he called and the alien stayed like that for a moment before he chuckled and rubbed his head. 

“I am alright, Batman, that was just… his mind is like a storm with no calming eye to see relief in.” the alien chuckled again. That was worrying. 

“Are you going to be okay?”  
  
“Yes, Yes, it’s just the.” he laughed but then calmed himself down. “Just the after effects, they will fade.” J’onn told him and Bruce gave him a firm pat on his back.  
  
“Thank you, you didn’t have to help him so… thank you.”  
  
“We are heroes, Batsy, we are here to help.” 

"Oh great everyone thinks they're a comedian." Joker huffed, his fingers were twitching but he other wise didn't show if the plants vission had effected him as much as it had Bruce. They stood up and brushed themselves off before Joker grabbed onto his arm. “Mongul.” he snarled. 

“We’ll get him.” Bruce assured him and reached over to lay his hand on J’onn’s shoulder again. “If you’re sure you’re okay, you should get with the other’s we’re going after Mongul and Draaga.” 

J’onn rested his hand over Bruce’s and looked at him with a bright smile, one that seemed out of place for him. “Sure, batty-man, you know best don’t you.” he laughed. Which was more concerning still.

“Be careful.” he said and was going to ask if he wanted to stay with them but he went invisible. He pressed at his ear piece again “Superman, Hawkgirl… we’re continuing our pursuit of Mongul… keep an eye on the Martian. It’s probably nothing but I just want to make sure he is okay.” 

“Copy that Batman.”  
  
“We’re almost in place and ready to start blowing this place to kingdom come.” 

Bruce held his hand up to Joker and the other man smiled and took it and they were running off again. He could wait until after to ask about it but he was damn curious. “Hey, J… what did you see?” 

“See where?”  
  
“With the plant.” 

Joker was quiet for a moment. “Hmmm I owned an icecream truck and brought joy to all.” he wasn't even trying to hide the fact that he was lying but Bruce still squeezed his hand.  
  
“You better have stocked mint choc-chip.”  
  
“Ew no, not ever you flying rodent.” They ran, checking hallways and rooms for signs of a fight and eventually heard the clanging of metal and Draaga’s voice. 

  
————————————————

They entered a set of doors and saw it was an entrance to one of the audience seats of the arena. It was mostly empty, some few people hiding under seats. He saw Mongul, holding Draaga by the throat and squeezing. They crept around, there seemed to be no traps here. Bruce hooked his arm around Joker’s waist and grappled them up on one of the columns. Bruce looked at Joker, there was probably going to be hell to pay when this battle was all said and done with but here they were. Back where this all started. They will finish this together and work out the rest as it came. 

“Bats.”  
  
“Jokes.”

They pressed their foreheads together and shared a soft kiss. "I'm glad you didn't become plant fertiliser." The criminal said. "That was... a rollercoaster and not the find kind. Like seriously fuck this guy."

"I'm glad you're alright as well. I guess what's one more trauma to a man dressed as a bat dating a clown." 

Joker buried his head into Bruce's shoulder to smother the sound of his laughter, he missed that sound. “Heads or tails who goes first.”  
  
“Scissors, paper, rock?” he offered.  
  
“It’s rock, paper scissors!”  
  
“It changes from country to country. I learned from someone well travelled. But umm Draaga can still help us so you can go first before he loses consciousness. Which looks to be happening now.” 

“Oh what a gentleman.” Joker gave him one more kiss before his grin curled in an intimidating way and he hopped off the pillar, pulling his his exacto-punch gun out and clocking Mongul right in the jaw, there was a solid sound to the hit and Bruce guessed the glove was filled with a type of metal. To help break his fall, Joker followed through and landed on top of Mongul, sending them both to the floor before he as rolling off him, ending it in a crouch and giving Bruce a thumbs up. Batman jumped in next, throwing a few smoke bombs so he could also kick Mongul in the head before he could see where they were coming from.

This fight will be ended properly, today. His life won't be going back to normal after this, he knew that for an almost certainty. It won't have been in vain they will end Mongul's reign one way or another. Together. Batman and Joker.

Round 2.  
  
The fight was on.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chap is influenced heavily one the Justice League: Unlimited episode "The man who has everything." In which Mongul does this to Superman.
> 
> Réveille-toi avec un sourire chéri = Wake up with a smile, darling


	7. pulled apart by a mob

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fight and the battle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, longer than my usual chapter posting schedule, i was unfortunately sick for a few days, nothing bad but i just wasn't up for writing but here it is~
> 
> Warning... this fight a bit more bloody

It wasn't too long before Bruce and Joker had returned from their unconsented to trip to the stars. Bruce was rewiring an broken EMP device and Joker was watching youtube clips on his phone. They were each doing their own things and just appreciating each other presence 

“Oh, Darling, I have a plan to kill Toymaster.” 

Joker just said it so casually, he knew Batman would try and stop him, he knew Bruce wouldn’t approve of taking a life but he said it like he was planning to go to the store.

“Really?” He drew the word out trying to figure out what the Joker wanted from this exchange, “How and why?”

Joker only then looked up from his phone and gave a sly grin, wagging his finger. “Oh Batsy you know I won't tell you that. It would ruin the surprise. Well, I can share with you the Why, Winslow Jr calls himself a Jester and that is part of my whole shtick. Oh… _also him being in the whole legion of doom and trying to kill me i guess_ but for the most part it is the principal of the matter! Names carry a lot in this town.”

“I’ll start making more messages to send to you when I put you back in Arkham.” 

“You’ll have to catch me in the act first, my dear.” he sang. 

And again here they were, Bruce wondering how far he can let Joker go with what he does. In who he is. Can he sit back and do nothing as they hunted someone down and let the clown kill them. Draaga came crashing down a few weeks later. Bruce had been causing issues and pushing back Joker’s plans so the ToyMaster is still safe for now. But how can he make exceptions now they have lived a life together. That he had seen that maybe Joker could change his ways. Was it even his call? Diana had been worried about his guilt but Bruce was worried what would happen if he didn’t feel guilt at the death of Mongul. 

——————————————

Joker’s entrance had knocked the alien down hard, the grip on Draaga’s throat falling as Mongul did. Batman’s thick boots came in a few seconds later, stomping into Mongul’s abdomen, helping to give them a moment longer of Mongul staying down. Even though he had already taken bullets for Draaga by taking the plant creature, Batman still rushed away from Mongul in the smoke and hooked an arm under his, dragging the alien away. Draaga was coughing, his neck already a dark blue, he tried to speak but his voice was too strained, his glare was enough to let Bruce know he didn't want his fights interrupted. “I really don’t care.” Bruce huffed and left him there, going back into the circle of combat as the smoke started to lift in the open space. 

“The Clown and the Bat, well you two have proven to be quite successful at getting on my nerves. Like deviant children, I gave you the best yet you wish to kill me. Though it is a surprise seeing both of you. I did plan to pay you a visit eventually, the Black Mercy might have even been my gift to you. Fortunate you received it regardless.” He saw Mongul rising to his feet again, brushing his armour off. “Did you like it? A prison you couldn’t leave unless you sacrificed your heart's true desire. Must have felt like physically ripping your heart from your own chest. You know it was very amusing to see what happened between you two, you, Bat, with all your facsimile of intelligence yet behind it all you are just an animal who started rutting with whoever was in your enclosure.” Mongul looked over at Joker who had pulled out his huge serrated knife. “Did you ask him? What he saw, what he truly desires? Probably not, even if he doesn’t lie I imagine it might sting to know who he truly wants-”  
  
“Just shut up!” Joker snarled and rushed at him, even when they had chastised Draaga for going in blinded by anger Mongul had gotten under the Joker’s skin. Mogul stood tall and smug, when Joker changed he didn’t even move his arms where they were positioned patiently behind his back. He evaded the blade just stepping back to be just out of reach which only proved to make Joker more angry. 

Bruce followed behind him, going to attack from behind when Mongul stepped out of the way, it was only from all the practice he had fighting the Joker that he caught the man’s arm and redirected it before the knife would have slashed over his face. “Hee hee, whoops?” 

“We’re in this together, now head in the game.” He kept his grip on the man and practically swung him out towards Mongul who again dogged him but only to step into the batarangs Bruce had thrown, predicting which direction the alien would have gone. 

They exploded which made Mongul step back but he just huffed and brushed his arm. “You know I have seen your tricks before? You could only hope to distract me when you made your escape, how could you possibly do more now?” 

For the first fight they had been suffering from multiple days worth of injuries and exhaustion from how many fights they were being forced to do. This was different now, and Bruce wasn’t going to make any witty replies, he was going to show it. He used the grappled again to latch onto Mongul’s ankle and allowed it to retract and pull taunt. He barely looked off blanched from it but that one moment of focus allowed Joker to accurately throw a hand of his razor sharp cards, all burying partly into his exposed arm. They had to keep wearing him down, same as the start of their first plan, only now they weren’t going to stop once he was on the ground. 

Mongu pulled out the cards, letting them drop until he reached the last one and ripped the metal in half, throwing back at Joker, decidedly unimpressed. Mongul then stepped on the rope of the grapple and was able to step his foot out of it’s claws grip. He grabbed a cylinder looking device from his belt and they watched as the familiar red glow came back, expanding until he was holding a large axe. “I believe you two have been humoured enough, I’ll make sure to send you back to the rebellion... in pieces.” And he emphasised the point by slamming the axe down and severing the rope of the grapple.

There was a dramatic “Nooooo.” which had more emotion in it than he expressed over all from the destruction of the planets and populations. Which was a level which hadn’t been at all hard to beat. 

With it being broken now Bruce just threw it at Mongul, knowing it would seem like an easy target to go after. Mogul took the bait and swung, breaking the rest of the gun to pieces but again he threw smoke bombs around the alien and grabbed Joker. He covered the clown’s mouth with his hand when he had immediately started talking about how they had lost ‘his’ grapple. They were able to quietly move around, watching how Mongul was swinging around himself trying to catch them. “Oh did you need a moment to hide and regroup. Cute.”  
  
“No i think we just needed to get further away, but yes, we are cute as hell, which incidentally...”

Bruce ignited the electric lighter on the back of his wrist and doused the gas with fame, it all quickly ignited which did cause a cry of pain from Mongul. It didn’t take long to burn up and parts of Mongul were still aflame when Joker swooped in, he reached under his jacket and pulled the condensed cane out, letting it spring open as he used two hand to jam the spiked handle into Mongul’s stomach, before adjusting so he could swing it up, catching the alien under the chin before swinging it right back down and crashing on top of his head.

Bruce didn’t give him a moment to recover before he kicked him in the back, his knee, Mongul pitched his elbow backwards but missed Bruce who then used it to vault over him. Joker and Batman both kicked and hit him at the same time, sending the alien onto his back. Bruce swooped in atop him and started punching him in the face. One after the other, he felt the force of the hit sending tremors up his arms even through his suit. He didn’t let it slow him down and just kept attacking, crying out in rage as Joker seemed to be stabbing the alien behind him too. 

Bruce didn’t have him down long before Mongul’s arms rose above his own head, threading his fingers together and slammed them down on Bruce’s chest, winding him and sending him back, knocking into Joker and sending them crashing into the floor. He had landed on Joker and quickly rolled off him, their heads must have collided seeing as Joker’s nose was now streaming blood. “Almost got him.” Joker said, voice a bit strained. 

“Let me see it?”  
  
“...No.”  
  
“Joker, let me see.  
  
“No, don’t touch it.”  
  
“I wont touch it just let me-” He pulled Joker closer before placing his thumbs parallel each side of his nose and pushing the bone and cartilage back into place. 

“Happy fucking birthday!” The joker yelled and groaned in pain. “I hate you bats.”  
  
“I love you too.” he replied, and it was carelessly thrown out there but then suddenly they were looking at each other and a soft unsureness came down around them. “I-”

Mongul had picked up his axe again and started stalking them down again. There could be another time for them to be awkward. Mongul’s face had some small swelling and he had a few scratches and light bruises over him, the fire had only lightly burned his bare arms but there was not near the amount of damage they wanted. 

“Was that it, your big move? Your weak, human fists?” he laughed. “Oh I think this is the first time you clowns have made me laugh.”

“We did it, make him laugh, we can go now.” Joker chuckled before he winced as blood dripped down his chin. 

“Oh the only place you will go is to whatever afterlife you believe in.” 

He gripped his axe tighter but then he cried out in pain, jolting back and the pair saw Draaga back on his feet and a hand axe now embedded into the man’s shoulder blade. Joker rushed in and sunk his big knife into his lower back. Bruce joined and tossed more of his batarangs, three of them sinking into his already damaged arm and leg though one skittered off of his armour.

“Three on one, isn’t that cowardly?” Mongul growled, slashed his axe to the side and they all duct under. When Mongul swung again, Joker held his cane up with two hands and took the force of the axe with it. It dented but did stop it in its tracks giving Bruce another chance to round-house kick him in the face before turning with the momentum and throwing another punch. Draaga pulled his axe back out and tried to get Mongul again but the larger alien moved in time and Bruce had to kick the Joker to send him out of the blade's trajectory. 

Bruce threw another batarang behind Mongul this time, the blast it caused sent the larger alien forward to meet Bruce’s first in his next punch which was brutal for both of them. Being this close, Mongul swiped twice with his own axe, almost catching Bruce only to miss again as Draaga buried his own weapon into the tyrant’s side.

“Enough!” Mongul pulled the hand axe out before Draaga could, the alien threw it at Bruce who rolled away but he had been too close and it half embedded into his leg. Bruce cried out in pain, blood filling up his boot and spilling from his armour.  
  
“Batman!” Joker yelled and pulled out his knife charging at the tyrant, he had been aiming for his back but the yell had given away the surprise, Mongul turned and caught him by his wrist, he lifted his own axe and for a terrible moment Bruce was sure he was about to watch Joker lose his arm and shoulder but Draaga struck again with his second axe, getting Mongul in the arm and causing him to instead swing his axe towards the other alien. Draaga managed to pull this axe back in time to block him and Joker used this distraction to toss away his bent cane and pulled something out of his pocket. There was the sound of chattering teeth and auto tuned laughing. 

Mongul looked down just in time to see the teeth before they exploded, making him drop the jester. Joker crawled to Bruce where he had been cutting his costume apart at the wound to attempt to tunicate it. Joker’s hands hovered over the axe. “Don’t! Don’t pull it out yet, it didn’t cut through the bone, I’ll be okay.”

“It’s a lot of blood batsy, I don’t think kisses and cream will be enough for this.” he said in a panic looking behind them to where Draaga and Mongul were back to clashing axes. Once Bruce pulled back some of his costume, Joker tossed some glitter, a toy car and a pinwheel from his pockets before pulling a line of tied coloured handkerchiefs out. Bruce was confused for a moment before Joker cut the line and used a section as the tourniquet on his leg. 

“Thanks, J… I’m sorry, I’ll be able to keep fighting, I won't let yo-”  
  
“Hush your pretty little face.”  
  
“We were meant to-”  
  
“My sweet Batty Darling, count to three for me.” Joker said sweetly. 

Bruce swallowed and stealled himself for this “...one-” Bruce screamed as Joker pulled the axe from his calf and regardless of the right wrap of fabric around his leg a flood of more blood still flowed out. He hissed and dropped his head to Joker’s shoulder.  
  
“Oh fff...hmmm ow… you’ve been wanting to exact this karma for a while now, huh?”  
  
“What no… only ever since you popped my arm back together.” 

They heard a cry as Draaga was thrown and collided with the arena wall, the duo held each other and looked up as Mongul stood above them. He was looking much worse for wear now, bleeding in multiple places, more burns over where he had already suffered them. Mongul spat and a tooth was lost. Joker laughed and gave Bruce a pat on his shoulder before he reached down the front of his pants and pulled up a gun, clicking off the safety and holding it up to the alien. 

“That wont do anything to me, barely a tickle.” Mongul lifted his axe, and Joker shuffled to shield Bruce with his own body as much as he. “It was a mistake to come here, because this, this will really hurt you.” before the axe was swung down, the room shook through a series of quakes, putting most of them off balanced. “What?” he looked enraged as more alarms started howling through the base.   
  
“You’re mistake was thinking that we came after you alone.” Bruce said with a smirk.

Joker leaned back against him “The _facsimile of your intellect_ greatly shadows your true drying pool of strategic play if you couldn’t predict for this?” Joker over-enunciated to sound snobbish. 

“Cowards. We were fighting men-to-men but I guess you hold no honour. What disappointments.”  
  
“How is there any honour in destroying entire planets, displacing billions of people! You use words like honour to control people, and I just don’t care about them.” 

Mongul huffed “So be it.” He raised his weapon again but this time there was a flash of gold and the axe was yanked from his hands. When he turned back to yell there was a blue burr and suddenly Mongul was pushed back as Superman had punched him. 

“No… no, no, no, no!” Mongul saw as the rest of the justice league started entering the room as well as a few fighters who looked to have not wanted to get into the escape pods yet. Mongul pressed at something on his wrist but nothing happened… he jabbed his fingers harder against it and still, nothing happened. 

“What did you do!” he yelled, turning back towards the duo on the ground.  
  
“Boom!” Bruce said, he was sure Mongul could piece together just what they had been blowing up.

“ _We feel that the power you have stolen has gone to your head_ , we will give you no opportunity to leave the fight with your life?” Joker copied the speech from the first time they fought Mongul. Bruce was surprised he had remembered it. 

The man growled and even though he was hopelessly outnumbered, ran to them. Bruce went to get up, putting almost all his weight onto his good leg, Joker hooking an arm under him to help him. Before the man was to flee or be struck, Hawkgirl came swooping in and knocked Mongul across the face with her mace. 

“Howdy, boys… Batman, are you-”  
  
“I’m fine!” “ _He’s fucked!_ ” Batman and Joker said at the same time. 

She landed by them and went to take Bruce from the criminal. To Bruce’s surprise she paused her hands and spoke to Joker, calmly and softly. “I can get him further away. He will be safer away from the battle, Joker, you want him safe right?”

Joker looked conflicted and she just waited as the other heroes zeroed in on Mongul. After a moment they looked at each other and Bruce just gave a nod. “I’ll be fine, go end this.” 

“...ok. But you-” he joined a finger in Hawkgirl’s face. “You better remember, precious cargo you are moving. I want him back in mostly one piece, you understand.” 

“Of course, we need someone to scowl at us when we make dumb choices before running off to make even dumber decisions.”  
  
“Oh he does that to you too?” Joker laughed, wiping blood off his face. “Oh… one more thing.” Joker looked at her mace. 

Unlike last time this was intentional and Joker knew to loosen his gloves. Hawkgirl charged up her mace while Joker slapped both his hands on it. He still got shocked himself but he just gritted his teeth and took it and when Shayera stopped it, his hands were sparking again. They both watched him run back into the fight.  
  
“So… you guys really do have a weird bond going on, huh?” she asked, cocking an eyebrow.  
  
She had absolutely no idea “...wait for the debriefing like everyone else.” 

Mongul had just caught Superman’s fist in one hand and struck him back with the other only for Wonder Woman to strike him with her sword and Draaga clipping his ear. He was being attacked from all angles, his calm personal dropping away and he was now snarling and giving out battle cries like a cornered feral animal. He didn’t see as Joker ran towards him until the man was leaping on him, hands came down onto either side of his head as the electricity lit him up as it charged through him. Again smoke started to permeate from them until the sparks started dying down.  
  
“This… will be the second time you’ve been defeated by the power of g _love_.” Joker quickly took the gloves off and shoved them into Mongul’s mouth and jumping away “What an embarrassing weakness-” but before he could finish the gloves exploded, Joker crouching down to shield himself while the others just looked away. When the smoke cleared, Mongul was a wreck, he fell heavily to his knees. Almost all his skin and amour were burned now, his jaw hanging open as blood flowed over his chin, only his back teeth having survived. The one eye not swollen shut stared at them in defiance somehow but it was clear all his strength now was to keep himself together through the pain he must be in. Joker pulled out a knife and walked towards Mongul with determination. 

Bruce would have stood back but Hawkgirl moved them forward. Superman got their first and few down, landing in front of him. “Mr Joker, he is on his knees and is no longer a threat. Thank you for stopping him even if it was a bit… excessive. He can now be imprisoned-”  
  
“No!” Draaga said, stepping up to Clark. “He won the right to kill him, this is how it must be done.” the grey alien’s voice was still rough from being choked but he forced the words out. This was an important part of the battle. He almost felt like they should cheer for it like the crowd did. Punishment or Mercy. 

Wonder Woman stepped in “Exactly, we can dishonour him by not allowing him to have a warrior’s death, now instead he is to face the rest of his life in regret for what he has done. He has caused more harm to the rebellion, they deserve to have their justice more than you do revenge.”

“I think you are getting me confused with you uptight losers, justice? Revenge? This is all just fun and giving the asshole what’s coming to him.”  
  
“Batman is a hero… will you let him suffer the guilt of you taking more lives.” She added and it did make Joker pause. “Batman do you actually want him to lose his life?”

Bruce really didn't want to be in this, he wanted to drink some water, get some painkillers and sleep for a week. This is the moment, Punishment or Mercy. He was always Mercy, Joker had ensured himself that Bruce never stopped trying to save them but then he had said he would let him kill Mongul. “I ...I could never condone taking a life if there was another way. It’s not Batman’s way, you know that.” he said quietly, looking up at the Joker. 

The clown scrunched up his bloody face and to Bruce’s surprise said “Oooh! Fucking fine.” he dropped the knife to the ground and walked right up to Bruce, the others moved closer to protect Bruce if Joker acted aggressive at his denial but they were werent expecting what Joker did next. 

“I know, I really do know that Batman never could do it. You always try and stop me, it’s our little dance, isn’t it. And you know I would do anything for you. Even if you can’t say it’s what you want.” Bruce knew they had toed the line of no turning back when it came to the JL knowing about their unique relationship. There was still some deniability to be had, enough black spots and conjecture that with the right words he could have just made it seem like they shared a fucked up friendship. But now pale knuckles caress his cheek before the Joker leaned in and kissed him, politely and chaste but it was all he needed to broadcast what they had been hiding. Bruce didn’t push him away, caught too much in surprised and the little vision the Black Mercy gave him still floated in his forethoughts. 

It was also enough to distract everyone so when Joker pulled out his gun again no one moved in time to stop him. Joker shot Mongul, right through his mouth, then his cheek, then his eye, Joker unloaded the bullets one after the other before Superman broke through the surprise of the kiss and stepped in front of him. The next bullets bouncing off his chest harmlessly. Mongul stayed kneeling up, for just a moment longer, swaying before he collapsed back in an unmoving sprawl. He was dead. Bruce felt nothing for it, for any of it. Just going numb and he didn’t know if it was from acceptance of the situation or blood loss. Maybe both? Superman grabbed the gun from Joker and bent the barrel before he tossed it aside. 

The fighters watching cheered but the rest of the team was silent. 

————————————————

Somewhere during the quiet walk back to the ship, everyone carrying a pregnant pause filled with all the questions they didn’t want to argue about in the burning remains of War World, Bruce passed out. 

Thank god. He didn’t want to deal with it all right now and it was worth the fact that one of his teammates had to carry him the rest of the way. They normally would have teased him about it but he didnt think they would be in a teasing mood. 

When he woke up he was on the ship again. He opened his eyes to see the Joker staring at him, inches from his face.  
  
“Jesus, J… “ he said as he had jolted at the site he then groaned as the pain hit him, fire shooting up his leg to his hip. “Ow.”

“Oh, I got you.” Joker sat up and leaned on his arm which had him saying ‘ow’ again before he sat back, giving Bruce two pills and some water. He took them enthusiastically and then settled back down, waiting for it to kick in. Would be fast with his blood loss though he saw an IV bag of O Pos on his wrist. “And don’t worry about my full title, you can just call me J.”

Bruce downed the rest of the water fast, joker refilling it once before he felt sated. He wished he could go back to sleep but he was in his room with the Joker, door open, after he had been kissed and all the rest of that shit show. 

He sighed and opened his mouth to ask “Joker what hap-”  
  
“I’m sorry!” Joker interrupted him before looking shy and continuing. “I know you didn’t want me to kill the Justice league-”  
  
“What!?”  
  
“- _so i didn't_ but they… kinda saw the kiss and I don't know what to do about it. I wasn't thinking, I just thought… well what would get their attention and then you were all there, hot and bloody and I know you wanted him gone too… so I just-” Joker rolled onto his back and flopped his arms out like he was presenting an image of what had just happened. 

“It’s okay, J, i wanted to tell them… eventually.” 

Joker smacked his hands into his forehead. “We could run away, New mexico? Canada? Another planet? We just need us right? I know, Darling I don’t act like i do but i know things are hard like this for you, hiding this from the brats and what not, but… I’d do anything for you and you make me happy… I don't mind whatever you saw because right here and now you’re mine… I love you and i will find a way to fix this if i have to steal Jervis’ tech and brainwash them all myself, okay. I’ll do that-”

Bruce leaned in and kissed Joker just to shut him up, he made a little wounded sound before he kissed back. “I saw you… I saw my family knowing about you. Things were different yes but… it was still you by my side.” He whispered. Joker gave one of those rare genuine smiles and his fingers reached out to touch his face, tucking some hair behind his ear. He sighed and leaned into the touch before he remembered his questions “...J, not that I’m not happy you are here but… how are you here?” he asked. 

“Oh, well WW knew that I knew how charming your nose and cheek bones are, GL _and especially HG_ knew I wouldn’t hurt you, MHM… wait no… M.M.H, well if I wasn’t here with you he would have been, you know I actually think I am starting to like him. So yeah, they also needed me out of the way while they have their **‘big talk’** and I was making too much **‘noise’** while locked in my own room. So I can play nurse again. I’m getting good at that. I should get a sexy little dress to really own the part.” he laughed before wincing again at his swollen nose. 

‘Big talk’ sounded bad and so did the Martian's mental state, he hoped the latter was at least fading by now. He tried to push himself back up to join the talk but the burn went right back up his leg and he gave up, instead he stayed laying down. 

“Ok… ok, we can take turns playing nurse.” Bruce relented.  
  
“Will you wear the dress as well?” Joker giggled.  
  
“No.”

“It’s a shame, you have killer legs.” Joker hummed, and Bruce realised he was in his pyjama pants and he didn't even want to know who of the team dressed his unconscious form.  
  
“Thank you.” Bruce reached out his hand and Joker placed his onto Bruce's “Stay with me.” he said, the pills kicking in and his eyes started to feel heavy. 

“No where else I would rather be, sleep well darling. _We have weird days ahead of us._ ” 

  
  



	8. Cut by words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is an intervention

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Going from combat writing to many people talking was kinda hard ngl

Bruce had woken up after what felt like only a few hours. He could see now that he looked out the window that they were still in the rebellion's ship hanger. Sitting up in the quiet room he could see that the door was still open but it felt like Bruce and Joker were back in their cell. He pondered if it was still there, if it survived all the explosion they had used. All those scratched tally’s and signatures that they left behind, forever a mark of their history. Now it was official that they survived and there was no looming threat after them, the more time passed the more the days in that room seemed to hold more warmth among all the fear and chaos. 

Joker was dosing beside him, seeming not to have left his side, hand still curled over his own but he was now slowly waking up from his movement. He knew Joker saw this all as a fun little romp and furthered that fact as seeing Bruce was now awake, he took this time to properly show off the posters he had stolen and hid under his bed. Bruce compared their experiences during the scenes depicted and Bruce got to see how Joker remembered them. He seemed to have recovered his grasp on the very well which he was pleased to see. 

Later Joker helped him as he got cleaned and redressed, Bruce was frustrated about his leg injury. It had been deep, he would need to be off that leg for longer than he would have felt comfortable being off it. Even if he pushed himself (which he was planning to do) Joker knew it too and vowed to stop him hurting himself. Being injured made him feel a little bit more trapped. It would be worse when the ship took off for home, they might both be locked up for the duration of the flight. And what will happen back on Earth. Would they tell Alfred?, Dick and Jason? Fraternization with villains has come up before with the team, mostly as a friendly concern. He had experienced it before when his relationship grew serious with Salina Kyle, Some knew about that moment with Poison Ivy… They don’t know about his night with Talia Al’ Ghul but that one was... more complicated. Complicated in a way that he hopes Joker never finds out about that night. 

However, none of them were villains like the Joker was. No past, no secret identity, no chance for hanging up his own suit and having a normal life. He was just the Joker. It was all he was and even if he changed or became something more it wouldn’t leave him. Joker had been escalating his crimes before they had been captured together, getting more weird and violent, having less and less reasons for what he was doing. The one good thing he could use in their defence was that while he was still violent, less people were getting hurt and he was going after the league and they had let a few other vigilantes who took lives more liberally slip past. Not that he would ever claim Joker was anything close to an anti-hero, he was a villain through and through. It was a miracle things had turned out so good for so long with them. What would happen now? How could he prepare for this?

“I can actually hear you over thinking, Darling. It’s like a crowded room inside that gorgeous head of yours. It sounds like-” The clown was suddenly draped over his shoulders, where they were both back in the bed just waiting. The clown pressed his ear to Bruce’s temple and hummed. “A crowded room with a lot of murmuring and three...no four monkey’s clanging cymbals together and one burlesque dolphin squeaking jazz.”

“You can hear all of that?” he asked in amusement, looking back at the other man, lifting an eyebrow.    
  
“Oh yes, you just have to listen carefully since it's muffled by all the bat noises.” His arms slid around Bruce’s chest and he pressed a few kisses along his neck before he just rested his chin on Bruce’s shoulder. He felt the flutter of breath as the man sighed and they just stayed like that for a while, letting the heat from their bodies sink into one another. In a soft voice Joker spoke against his ear. “We did it. We finished Mongul. You’re safe from him which is what I wanted and no planets will be exploding which I’m guessing was what you wanted? I don't know what heroes go for so it’s just a guess.  _ But I am a good guesser _ . So, I think we did good, things got a little-” Bruce looked at his own leg in it’s fresh compression bandages. “-umm  _ not exactly to plan  _ but we did it. We’re the ultimate power couple aren’t we? _The winning team?_ ” Bruce felt Joker’s arms hold him tighter, squeezing him against his chest. “Nothing can stop us, we were meant to be, we’re like Romeo and Julliet, Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar, Christian and Satine, we're basically Bonnie and Clyde!”

Bruce leaned his head back onto Joker’s shoulder “...J, are you okay?” He could feel it in the tensing of his shoulders and how he kept finding excuses to touch him even more than he usually does. Joker was thinking just as hard about their future as he was and how bad it might turn.   
  
“...I don’t know.” he admitted before groaned and nuzzled into his neck. “We should be getting drunk with the rebel aliens and fucking in the highest location  _ -probably on top of one of the other spaceships you know? The aliens love us, they wouldn’t mind, might make the ship famous.  _ We shouldn’t be waiting for your friends and poke and prod at us like a high budget Arkham cavity search.” he laughed but he sounded off. 

  
“We’ll be okay.” Bruce brought his hand up and carded his fingers through the man’s hair. “We’ll get through this. You’re right, we did just fight off a global dictator and won, how is this worse?”

“Because we can’t use knives and fists for this, my love. We’ll need to talk and while we all know I am a fantastic public speaker we all know you’re the more silent and extremely pretty type so it is a lot of pressure.”

“...hmm” 

“My point exactly.” Joker learned even more of his weight on Bruce’s shoulders “But what if I don’t say the right things? I’ve never… I’ve never.” Joker stopped and took a moment to get this through in order, Bruce kept playing with his hair. “- never had someone I could lose.  _ Well, no one I've ever really cared so much about losing. _ I’ve had you for so long, I won't be able to just forget that this happened again. I’ll know you’re missing. We should have just come here by ourselves. I’d rather us have died together cause you won't destroy the justice league with me. Do you have back up plans of how to deal with them in case they go bad?”

“No.” he lied.

“Yeah, sure, Darling.” Joker clearly not believing him at all. 

They grew quiet again and Joker’s grip on him never loosened. He just seemed to be getting tenser by the moment. It wouldn’t be good or either of them to just stew in this. Bruce gave him a moment before he grabbed the Joker’s arm and jolted forward as he tugged him, tossing the jester over him, sending him tumbling flat on his back on the bed. The man had a shocked expression before he fell into a fit giggles.    
  
“I think we need a distraction.” Bruce told him and Joker gave him a sly grin in return.    
  
_ “Oh, baby I think I have just the thing. _ ” he purred.   
  


——————————————

There was the loud smack of skin on skin. 

“Ow, careful, not so rough, J.”

“You know you like it. Besides you were the one being naughty. You cheated again!”

Bruce and Joker glared at each other, Joker’s hand on top of his which was covering the two 10s shazor sharp cards atop the pile of them. “I got snap.”

“You didn’t bring your hand all the way back after you placed the card down!” Joker countered   
  
“I did.” he stated firmly. 

“Liar!” Joker huffed and they stared for a moment longer before the close rolled his eyes and lifted his hand “Fine,  _ Batman four, Joker three _ ...best five of ten?” Joker started shuffling the metal cards and Bruce was still amazed that he could do that without slicing his hand open in multiple places. 

There was a throat clearing “I hate to interrupt.” Both of them jumped a little and looked at the door. “-but do you think you two are up for talking with us?” Wonder Woman was leaning on the doorframe, he didn’t know how long she had been watching them. 

He and Joker automatically turned to each other and shared a look, the clown shrugging. The hero turned back to her “Yeah, let's get this over with.” 

They were led to the ship's dining area, Bruce was using a crutch while Joker was swaggering a head of them. There were two chairs placed in front of the currently cleared dining room table, though a few crumbs still littered over it. Clark and Diana sat opposite them as the rest of the team stood by the wall. He hated this. He didn’t want to talk about this. He just wanted to go home and continue his duty as batman. But regardless of his feelings he still sat down but didn’t meet anyone’s eyes. 

“Joker, Batman…” She hesitated and looked around the team. “-Bruce.” She said his name and he could see in the corner of his eyes how Joker tensed and curled his fists where he sat next to him. “Would you like to tell us about what happened the first time you two were on War World?”   
  
“I like a lot of things, gunpowder, diamonds, stuffing rubber ducks with TNT… I don't think I would like to do that though.” Joker said with a long sigh.

Bruce took a deep breath and then, as much as he didn’t want to, started speaking. He didn’t leave the details out this time. He told them how he gave up, he told them that Joker used his cruelty to keep him going and then his kindness to keep him sane. He spoke about how well they worked together, how they saved each other. How they grew to live in such little space and no privacy. By this time Joker did start butting in, his hesitancy forgotten as he crowed about his own contributions, how he saved the batman, got them food, took care of his wounds, how he did better than any of the others in the team ever could hope to. he said that things started changing between them after they had almost died. He stopped Joker from going into details about the week they had after the martian incident. Regardless of them coming clean he kept it PG. But Bruce did speak of the reliance they had on each other both in healthy and many not-as much ways. He told them that they had found something together and after a struggle they were able to keep it when they returned home. He looked at them all and said they both had been better off with the bond between them.

——————————————

Diana spoke up first “Bruce he is still capable of great evil-”   
  
“And I have still thrown him in Arkham for it.” He replied firmly. 

The team looked to all be digesting his story. The general reaction still had the team holding some concern for him.

There were more questions about Joker targeting him and his family to which the Joker reluctantly responded. “Oh, I know what would get me sent to sleep in the dog house. Besides, he likes me more now, I don’t need to get rid of the competition any more. So, I’m doing my own thing now, changing things up in the business. Doing some restructuring in Gotham.” 

“Targeting the Legion of Doom members.” Shayera said to which Joker gave her a wink and some finger guns. 

“But, come on man, you know what this sounds like?” John said to Bruce while still eyeing the Joker.    
  
“It’s not Stockholm syndrome. It’s just been a series of choices… my choices.” he stressed. 

They were all quiet for a moment, he didn’t think anyone knew how to take the reveal at all. 

Eventually Clark spoke. “But he's… _a man?_ ”    
  
“...Wayne Enterprises has a Pride float in Gotham every year. I’ve even been on it a year or two.” even in the tense room a small grin grew on his face and a few others laughed softly. 

Clark held up his hands in defence. “Yes - _and I’m glad you are comfortable being open about your orientation_ \-  _ but _ corporations can just use Pride to just market towards a growing audience and not to honour the roots of radical protest to end the denial of human rights! You are a corporation so…  _ I was just inquiring _ .” Clark slipped into his reporter side and he could tell he would have gone on about articles and interviews if Joker wasn’t here risking his alter ego. The others were starting to relax and a few smiles slipped. 

“Wow it is really hitting me who you are right now…” John said “ You were the last to share your identity, we all thought you were just a scary cryptid all the way down but I saw that parade on tv. You were in sequence booty shorts.” a boisterous laugh was forced out of a few of them.    
  
“That was part of Bruce Wayne’s image when I first came back, it’s not what's important here, we’re moving on from that.” he demand. 

“Oh my gosh… You showed off you could pole dance.” Clark said again and then everyone was laughing except him and the Joker.

“We’re done!” he yelled over them but he was fighting back an embarrassed smile himself. 

Joker slammed his hands onto the table. “He said we’re  **done!** ” he snapped and it shocked everyone out of their humour. Bruce rested his hand on Joker’s. 

“J… it’s fine.” and he looked at him trying to figure the issue out. 

The man huffed and crossed his arms over his chest as he sat back into his chair, eyeing the team. The lighter mood evaporating and he could see a few of the heroes bracing themselves and ready to fight if needed. 

“Joker.” Hawkgirl grabbed a chair and brought it to the table, flipping it backwards as she straddled it. “You care a lot about Batman…. About Bruce, right?”  They were pointedly using his name which must have been awkward for them. It was odd how much they were speaking about his identity in general. Diana must have told them that Joker basically knew but there was something more stirring behind it.

Joker scoffed at the question. “Obviously, or I wouldn’t be here having this completely redundant conversation with you Justice Losers. I can see why they needed to hire a detective like you, all that muscle and barely any brains.” he smirked and gave Bruce a few nudges.    
  
“Not helping.” Bruce said.

“But they make it so easy-” Joker sang.

“Would you care if Bruce had to face fall out for whatever… relationship, you both have?” Hawkgirl continued, set on fully ignoring their little exchange. 

“You’re all just asking the same questions over and over again, you know this. I wouldn’t be too upset with him losing you all if you abandon him. Yes, a one man band might be less effective than your high powered freaks but he will gain some one  _ much better with witty banter. _ However if you are not completely stupid and petty, you could just deal with me being here. Besides, you all could stand to have a little comic relief. The quacks in Arkham always squawk at us that you know what you are going to do. Your mind is complicated, it works things out really fast. Leave the circus act to me and get it over with. You already know your answer. Give us that screech birdy.”

Shayera shared a look with Wonder Woman “There is another shared point of concern. Bruce you have made choices, many of them, but has Joker been able to have as much choice as you? Is the Joker even capable of choosing to have a relationship? You fought before that he should not gain the death penalty because he doesn’t understand his choices when it came to his aggressive crimes. How can he consent to your relationship?”   
  
“ _Excuse you_ , wonder hussy I am right here! Yes, I chose him! It’s the one choice I can stand by! He has been the  **most real thing** , he is like me! I’m more like him than any of you ever could be, we were made the same cesspool vat that is Gotham. Batman understood me and we chose each other.  **We are real!** ” Joker fought back,   
  
“Joker, you haven’t even been able to accept that he is a real person. That’s what you told me, didn’t you Bruce?” He held his breath in his chest. “He ‘doesn’t see you as anything but The Batman’ Yet you knowingly have been pursuing a relationship with him regardless. That is morally dubious at best and as a result I am sorry but you will be kicked off the team, and publicly tried for what you have done to him.” 

A cold flush of shame coursed through Bruce. His heart pounded in his chest and he was actually scared. There were so many emotions piling on top of each other in his chest that he would have possibly had a panic attack. He opened his mouth to defend himself but what if they were right? He glanced up but the panic shifted to confusion when he saw the look on Diana’s face. She wasn’t even looking at him but studying the Joker. The whole team was. Waiting. This was a fucking test.

“You fucking assholes, yeah, I sure feeling safe knowing you conceited, Self-righteousness, STD riddled youth group councillors are in charge of the world-”   
  
“J.” he looked at him, soft and imploringly but as much as he hated their test did give him a moment of doubt so he needed to know this too. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have, you would have forgotten before, we would have gone back to how we were, I did pursue you… I’m so-”   
  
“ **Don’t!** Don’t you Fucking dare!”   
  
“Joker, I’m sorry.”   
  
“No! No don’t listen to them,  _ you’ve never done anything wrong in your life! _ Please don’t!”   
  
“I am so sorry, I was wrong.” 

“No, Stop it, stop it, stop it!, ha!  **Fuck you** , Fuck all of you! And…. **Fuck you too,** _**Bruce Wayne** ,  _ you rich shit bag!” He growled in frustration and slammed his fists into the table again, then again, and again.  _ “Okay, Yes, I know who he fucking is! _ I see his face plastered all around the city! I’m not fucking blind and _ I’m not crazy _ for thinking that part of him is a fucking lie! You’re missing out on the actually reasons that I’m crazy for. He admitted it, That shiny to perfect to be real human suit is a fucking character and while you fuckers go him and pretend you’re a normal fucking person.  _ it’s fucking true because you’re basic bitches  _ but not for him! He’s a bat bitch and Yes, I love him, I let that change me but if you fuck with us and punish him for this I will go after every single fucking one of you! If you’re lucky you will be hunted like dogs but if not-” Joker gave a laugh which was more wicked than he had heard in a long while. “He doesn’t deserve that and he is mine to project even from you! You're only alive because I know he likes your play dates! Now whatever you are doing just  **stop it!** ” 

Joker snarled in frustration and kicked the edge of the tabling making his chair push back with the horrible screech of metal on metal. He stood up and left. 

Bruce barely looked back at the team before he stood and limped after Joker, forgetting his crutch behind. Joker was walking fast as he marched right out of the ship and through the habitat. All around aliens were celebrating. Food, drink and music flowed all through the previously somber sanctuary, bursts of colours from paints and power filled the air. The panic Bruce felt was discordant to the population around him. Alien soon mobbed them, thanking and praising them. Bruce pushed passed them but soon lost the Joker in activity. He swore and escaped the crowd to find somewhere to think. Where would he go?

He spent almost half an hour searching but eventually he found the highest point in the sanctuary. There was a massive arc type ship, the original one which seemed to have been what majority of the planet's inhabitants had escaped on which was inbuilt into a haphazardly built exterior walls. The starting point for making this area or salvation. Just as he was wondering how he would get up he saw purple and green and found Joker sitting on the shelf of an electric box, pressed to the side of the ship but barely off the floor. Bruce limped up slowly. 

“We don’t have a grappling hook anymore.” the man said utterly miserable. 

Bruce hopped on the box and sat next to him, wincing as he could finally rest his bad leg. “We can get another one.”   
  
“But it won’t be the same… You didn’t bring your crutch because your dramatic exit wouldn’t have looked as cool, didn’t you?”

“No.”

“You’re Batman, you’ll always look cool. That’s your secret power or didn’t you know that?.. Wait I’m angry, aren't I? Then no, You do all these things and it just makes you the straight man who is easier to make fun of because indignity is in your weakness.” Bruce pushed himself back to lean back against the cold metal behind him before letting his head tilt down onto Joker’s shoulder. “Did they get what they want or did I fuck everything up?”

“You proved you knew who I was.” 

“Br-uce Way-ne.” The jester drew out the syllables. 

The hero shivered, he had never heard his name from the Joker before today and it caused a unique feeling of both wrongness and excitement. Joker must have felt it because he gave an amused snort. 

“I hate your name. It’s just so… common, it’s not who you are! Ugggh! This all just proves that they don’t even know you. And another thing, they’re not quizzing you on my name… ew imagine if I had a name like yours, The Gotham’s great clown prince of crime; Robert.”

“The harlequin of hate; Peter.”

“Dozens poisoned by, Micheal.”   
  
“Brian is targeting the water supply again.”

  
“The legion of doom cower from Mark!” Bruce chuckled and Joker looked at him softly befre he was gently laughing too. Both of them started relaxing again. The name Jack was still on his tongue but he kept it there and pressed a kiss to Joker’s cheek. “You chose the name Batman, I chose Joker. It is us.”

“Yeah, I know. I didn’t mind being just Batman to you but as disappointing as the name Bruce is… my parents did give it to me.”

“Yeah, rich man with deep parental issues. Oh and you were close with Harvey before he got burned half to hell. I can see why you fought for all us rogues as hard as you did. You really could have ended up like us. Which is so boring to learn. Well… it does really show how our little friendship group really fuck around, we technically slept with each other by proxy years go.” He laughed and Bruce gave him a shove.

“We’re having a moment, don’t make it gross.”   
  
“Oh we’re having a moment are we? Our moments usually become gross.” Joker turned and swung a leg over his lap and kissed him.

Bruce kissed his back but stopped his wandering hands “I literally don’t think I have enough blood for that just yet and there have been aliens staring at us since we left the ship.”

“Prude… but you owe me for all this deep emotional pain I’m going to expect some pay back eventually.” 

“Noted.”  


They still made out for a while before they returned to the ship.  
  


——————————————

Joker strutted back into the kitchen where most of the team were still standing together and murmuring. The JL stopped and looked up at them but Joker just sat Bruce down “You’re still here? I thought we faded to black in this chapter and would pick it up in a day or a few later.” he went to the kitchenette and found the coffee machine, Milk and no sugar for Bruce, milk, one sugar and three scoops of chocolate for Joker. 

Only because they were having a hard day did Joker let him drink that monstrosity with his meds. Joker stole a few cookies and brought them to the table but while Bruce was hungry he didn’t want to eat until they were done with this. 

“Joker, we didn’t mean to cause you distress-” Clark started gently 

“-It was paramount that we knew how you would react to not just physical danger threatening Bruce but all that was his identity and livelihood. As well that you could see him as an actual person and be sound enough to make that decision. I can not test you with the lasso in your state. Do you understand?” Diana asked. 

Joker slurped his coffee between his teeth making a loud sound before he answered. “Yes. I do.” he pushed back on his chair and balanced it on two legs. “Water under the bridge, I guess at your age you have to resort to such threats against your own teammates to get your way. So is this the part where you threaten me?”

She frowned at the insult but then relaxed back in her own chair “No, I won't intervene unless Bruce needs me too.” She said and both men paused.

Shayera stepped forward again. “Seeing those concerns were addressed, I trust Bruce not to let his feeling get in the way of what is right, if they have been together for a year and he isn’t getting away with murder… literally. Bruce can know when he is getting in too deep he can come to me -to us- for help. Likewise to you Joker, since... that's polite. Otherwise, I’m fine to letting them do their own thing.”

That shocked Bruce and Joker grinned and his chair dropped down onto all fours. “You’ve got a wild streak in you, birdy, if I wasn’t a taken man we could have had something.”

“You wish, clown.” she said, rolling her eyes and ignoring the jester’s winks. 

John rubbed his hand over his chin but stepped forward. “Yeah, I ain’t getting involved in whatever you two have going on. If he's killing less and Bruce is…. Happy? If he can be that. Then just don’t give us any more details. Please.”

Clark looked around at the others hesitantly before he seemed to make a decision. “I will be keeping a close on you both. We can’t just forget what the Joker had done and what he is still trying to do no matter how well they are balancing it. I’ll be watching what you both do and If I think this has to be put to a stop then I will stop it.” They explained how Joker knew about the kryptonite but Clark still was unsure about what Joker could do if he learned any knowledge about that. 

Then lastly there was J’onn, the man seemed to have a calm smile and was no longer laughing so Bruce took it as a good sign. “We have questioned Burce much but Joker less as all he had trusted to be revealed was his protectiveness and possessiveness. But I have seen more. I have told the other how you asked me to aid in pulling the Joker from what Mongul had called the Black Mercy. I saw into his mind.” Bruce sat up while Joker hunched down. His fingers curling into his fringe, pulling his green hair taut. “I saw what he had been given, what the plant pulled forth as his deepest desire. Even to one such as him I do not feel it right to share what I have seen but, to Bruce?” he looked at Joker who fidgeted for a moment before he just waved his hand in a shooing motion for J’onn to go on. The martian stepped up to Bruce and his fingers went to his temples. “We shall discuss in private after you have seen. 

——————————————  


First there was darkness, a rich grey-brown which surrounded him, covered him, choked his lungs. Smoke. A glow started from behind it and as the smoke eased away from him it revealed a truly beautiful sight. The Gotham skyline. It was burning and crumbling. The smoke poured out from them and the moon hanging full above the setting sun glowed a bright red as it filtered through the muck. 

As the last of the light faded Joker stepped out along the barren streets, he could hear it now. The music through the air. Each note ringing from the mouths of the running citizens who didn’t know it yet but there was nowhere to go! A few of them weren’t running, bodies splayed out creating a red carpet for him to walk along, exulting him for making the city reflect what it really was. She no longer needed to be exhausted from hiding all the filth and rot, it was all lit up now. This was all she was, baby and now she is free! They all are.

But the darkness grew. The path down the street grew dark, the fires dying out as the shadows grew. They coalesced together forming a creature. Its wings spread wide, framing the blood moon, its claws dug into the melting tar of the road, eyes glowing, teeth sharp. “Joker!” it snarled with such longing and affection. “I will stop this madness Joker.” He said it in all the heated conviction of a lover. 

Joker took out his knife. Ready to step onto the ballroom dance floor with his beloved. 

“Perfect~”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are going to get weird


	9. Rendered by choices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If joker is going to have a past, future, present or idolised life...  
> It's going to be multiple choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was actually inspired but a possible end for another of my batjokes fics when i thought they were both gonna die so I'm glad the idea fit in this is well.

_Joker! Joker Please come back to me._

_I know you are probably seeing something wonderful, I have no idea what your idea of a best life would look like but I know what the plant made me feel. Please, Please come back to me…_

He had only just avoided being pierced by the batman’s claws, all the creature's attention was all on him, wanting him with such fierce determination. The whole world burned around them but those bright eyes only saw him. Joker ran through the wet and winding streets of Gotham, there was no one else any more, just them alone to play forever. 

There was a flutter and Joker looked back, no longer seeing the Bat, he pulled out his gun and held it ready. The flutter of wings was his only warning but he reacted in time, a spray of bullets acted like love letters to Batman, some hit, causing a spray of red glitter to shine in the area around him. There was an agonizing keen from the creature and it melted back into the shadows. The darkness encircled him now, all but the hazy red glowing moon broke through the living shadow until it faded and he found himself along Gotham bridge. 

“I love hide and go seek. Are you there?” he shot into the darkness recess of the twisted metal ribcage. “How about here?” he shot into the sky, disturbing some winged creature but not the one he was looking for. “Oh where did my big bat go.”

He felt a warm rush of moist air on the back of his neck which made his hair stand on end in what he could only guess was excitement from how his hands shook. “You found me.” he had a second before he turned around, gun raised by the sharp teeth clamped around the barrel of the pistol, denting it under fangs. Batman reared up, wings stretching outwards in beautiful demonic imagery. He was dwarfed by the shadows. The wings beat, hot air cutting like blades, he was pushed back, slippery shoes dragging on the soft tar road. He hit the railing of the bridge, it gave way behind him and he didn’t have any chance to stop himself cartwheeling back over it. 

And why would he have wanted to? The free fall was glorious, he spread out his arms and under him he could see the bat wings extending from his own shadow on the water's surface. He could take flight just if he tried. But then no one would be trying to catch him. 

The ice water constricted his lungs, grabbing onto his wrists and ankles pinning him down deeper into the brackish depth. 

_“we have a fight to get to”_

There was an arm around his chest pulling him up. 

_“please joker. Wake up”_

“Don’t let go!” The gloved hand balled up his shirt, he looked up through the red tinged as the stranger in an obviously handmade halloween costume hung on a line, holding him a meter above the bubbling vat below him. 

“Y-You… you pushed me?” he stuttered, hands scrambling to hold onto the arm. Fingers gripping into the thick material of his costume. 

“I’ll save you! Just hang on.” The man called back, they clung to each other as they slowly rose back up, scampering to pull each other back onto the catwalk. He was saved. 

Fuck this life, he took off his helmet and threw it skittering along the grated floor. That could have been it, The relief ran through him so devastatingly, it was almost tangible. He would escape this life, find a new path to take. Even if he had survived that he didn’t want to be stuck on a path to destruction he just wanted to be-

“ _Wake up. Joker I lo-_ ”

“Joker get down!” he was tugged by the back of his coat, dragged off the metal debris and behind a large slab of broken concrete . The vibrations of the packs roars wracked through the Joker’s skeleton. Everything was loud and frightening and it was very much to his taste. There was a shower of gun fire around them, red soil was kicked up and mixed with the concrete dust. Joker turned and slipped his hand into Batman’s long brown coat and dug around until he found a hand full of explosive pellets and waited for a break in the gun fire to toss them over. They both crouched into each other as the force of the explosion rushed around them with the cries of the mutants being thrown back. It was simple out here. Protect each other and survive by any means necessary. It was pure. 

There was a soft pat on his thigh and he knew what his companion meant and rushed through the bright warm wreckage of whatever city this used to be. They couldn’t tell where it was any more and it didn’t matter. All that mattered was them, it felt like they were the only two left in the world. He hoped that they were some days. 

They hid among the wreckage, sticking to the shadows and away from the main roads. They had found some food and chemicals they could use for more equipment and now they needed to get out of the city before nightfall. That was when they were most dangerous. They cut it close but managed to return to the little protected outcropping they had found just as the sun was setting. 

They collapsed back against the wall, silently Batman handed him a can of some type of food, the label worn off so it was always a surprise, good or bad. Joker tended to have a stronger stomach than his companion and that was always funny. Batman took one for himself as well and they sat eating, shoulder to shoulder. Eventually, Batman took his cowl off and Joker gave a small gasp.   
  
“Don’t say it.”   
  
“Batman is Bruce Wayne?”   
  
“You can’t say that every time.” Batman said and gave him a soft punch to the shoulder, it still ached but he knew he could do much worse. They finished their little meal while looking out into the time storm forming in the ruins of what might have been a town far below them. Joker sang a pop song softly just making the most of this sweet moment of rest they shared. 

They made use of the last few moments of light to try and work on fixing gadgets and creating a few molotovs and sharpening knives. It was peaceful up here. The setting sun brought a cool refreshing breeze which carried away the burning rubble and tar smell which lingered everywhere. He leaned against Batman’s shoulder and it had been weeks since the other man ever pushed him away. The need for touch will do that to you. 

“There is a pack of them scouting out the city. I don’t think we can risk a fire tonight.” 

“I am giving this place a low review. Rock paper scissors for who has the first watch?”

“I’ll take first.”

“Righy-o Bats.” Joker stayed close by him and curled up on the floor, using his back-pack as a pillow. He fell asleep quickly to a satisfying and bone deep exhaustion this life gave but still found himself waking up in the darkness, shivering. They were more inland, too far from the boiling seas which kept them warm at night. There was movement around him but he knew it was just Batman. So familiar with the sounds of each other, he could pick out the sounds Bats didn’t make while blindfolded. “My turn?” he mumbled.   
  
“No, not yet.” the bulk of the other man crawled over him, slotting between him and the cool rock wall. There was now a line of heat pressed against his back as well as an arm and a coat wrapped over him, keeping him warm. “...Thanks Bruce.”

“Just sleep… only have a few hours left until your turn.”

He closed his eyes. He could stay like this forever. 

_“_ _Wake up, J, come on I need you. We need to finish this.”_

He rolled over onto his back, and sank into a soft mattress under him. Sighing constantly as he felt equally soft lips pressed along his collar bone. “Bruce, you _are not_ a morning person.” He chuckled softly

“It’s 3 in the afternoon, John.” Now that had him properly laughing. 

“Oh you are a bad influence on me, playboy. Though I will admit, these beds are so much better than the ones in Arkham, I’m surprised I can sleep on them at all.”

“We’ll, we were pretty worn out after that fight with Bane.” Bruce moved over him, nothing separated them except for a few wraps of bandages both of them had. He was still giddy from how well they had worked together that night but the giddiness was burned away by a low heat within him as a firm -in all the right places- body dragged over his own. 

“Oh… well I can feel you’re well and truly _up_ now, Mr Wayne.” he purred.

“ _Come on, wake up._ ”

Bruce said. His tone was off somehow but all it did was make him shiver.

“Oh believe me I’m _up_ now as well.” he threaded his fingers into Bruce’s dark hair and pulled him up to kiss him. The strong body draped over him like a warm weighty blanket and they gently rocked against each other. The friction between their cocks had his body alight with pleasure. They stayed at a lazy pace in the warm afternoon, sun lit room but it didn’t take long before the kisses grew wet and desperate as they moaned against each other’s mouths. “Oh gosh, Bruce!”

“I love you Jokes.”  
  
“I love you Bats.” 

He held onto the other man tightly, hiding his face into his shoulder to muffle his moans. He came with a whimper, hips bucking up hard on reflex and he felt Bruce shudder over him too, a low and satisfied moan sounded right next to his ear. 

He could feel the mess covering him and he was still new at all this so he found himself covering his face and blushing. The mouth was back and pressing over the scars on his hands. “You’re so cute, John. Want to come share a shower with me?” he nodded but didn’t move just yet, he felt boneless. He heard Bruce laughing at him.

_“Come on Joker, Wake up! I’m risking so much for you, now wake up!”_

The laughter continued. He was laughing too, they clutched at each other, standing in the dark. Laughing. He couldn’t stop. Batman laughing sounded terrifying and made him laugh more. They were going to kill each other and there was nothing they could do about it, this was how they were tied together. Heavy hands went to his neck, a lover's embrace. He was so in love he couldn’t breathe anymore. 

_"Wake up, Joker!"_

The lights flickered on and he looked at the happy family around him, a cat, two robins and a butler, they all sat up eagerly waiting for dinner, all with their own personal name cards and duck tape to ensure they stayed in the right seats. The Batman strapped up at the head of the table, struggling. “Isn’t it nice, keeping family night alive? No? Well, I’m sure I can fix that.” Joker dropped sideways onto Batman’s lap, fingers dancing along the metal executioners hat he had on. Bruce had the only one that wouldn’t work but he liked keeping him guess. It was a fun party game. “You really do fill out your Sunday best so well, so do the kids and the… stray? Yeah she’s okay, i guess.” 

He didn’t have room in his life for all these distractions, it just kept him away from his true purpose and he couldn’t let that happen. He had a greater purpose in life. Everyone needed the man, the symbol, the Bat. He would be their saviour. He would keep the mission going. Tonight he would kill them all, his sort of friend, the poor kids who didn’t know what they were signing up for in getting a family, the woman who thought the world didn’t need him at his most determined. He grabbed the handle for a massive voltage switch. “Joker don’t, please don’t do this. Let them go, you can do anything to me just... just let them go!” he cried out but Joker could hear the frantic tone under his words. He wanted this. He needed to be freed of them and he will do this for him. He would do this for everyone. He would be the hero at the end of this book

The switch was flipped, the lights broke from the server frying but sparks bathed them in a heavenly, angel wing light for the fallen birds and the last of the nine lives. 

It was done.

“ _Wake up, please!_ ”

No, he didn’t want to. There were stars all around him. Bright flashing lights at every window. They didn’t know how long they would be adrift in space but the hot tight squeeze of Bruce around his cock was the only home he needed. The man looked up at him through half closed eyes but they were so blissed out and devoted. Voice begging softly but there was no rush. Why adapt to a broken world when there can be no world at all. No beginning, no end, just the journey. They could just occupy each other. They would really test that old saying, in space no one can hear you scream, or sigh, or moan. They could be here just enjoying each other in passion forever.

Just laying against each other.

Limbs entwined, Joker’s head on Batman’s chest, they were slowly bleeding out, they would end like this. Blurring together into one. They lived together, they would die together and then they would decay together. No more mission, no more chaos. They could finally rest now. They fell apart slowly, over months but he never felt cold, their bones held each other. They no longer had to be so tired. 

“I don’t see how this could be part of your heart’s desires.” The voice abruptly cut through the scene. 

Joker sat up in a monochromatic white and grey room and looked at the green being in front of him. “What the absolute fuck are you?” he asked it. 

The being moved closer and he scrambled back. “I do not believe it is healthy to centre your life and be around one man… or symbol, as you see him.”

“How can you talk about health, you’re looking a little green there yourself.” he laughed more so at the look on the beings face. “But it’s not all about him, not really.” he looked to his left and just as he knew, he saw the Batman, standing stock still in the room. He went to him and trailed his fingers over the man’s chest. “He's just part of the balance, he's a force. Chaos & order, Anarky & Law, Colour & Darkness, Bert & Ernie. It’s like expecting there to be no gravity, so he is going to be there but _how_ he's there- now that, can be whatever flavour of the rainbow.”

“But you see things clearer when you are a positive force for each other?”  
  
“No, i don’t think so….or, I don’t know.” Joker placed his hands on the Batman’s face, feeling the rough stubble and warmth. “I just know for certain that I have him now. I do, don’t I?” Joker looked around, he didn’t know where he was but it didn’t seem to matter, he couldn’t focus on that when he could look over the man in front of him so well. What could they play today?

“You do have him, yes, he is waiting for you.”

**_“Wake up, Joker.”_ **

Batman said but his mouth didn’t even move.   
  


“I’m right here. I have you. We can play all the games in any and every way till we’re bones and dust.” 

**_“Please wake up Joker.”_ **

  
  
Batman begged, again unmoving and it was pissing Joker off. There was something important he was forgetting, it was lost like everything else in his mind. He didn’t want it back anything back but this seemed too paramount.   
  
“Stop that.” he looked back at the green being, trying not to let his voice sound so pleading “Are you doing this? Make it stop!” 

“This isn’t real-”

“They always say that about everything!” He shouted back and scrambled to keep a grip on the man before him. If he clutched at it tight enough he could stay and everything would be perfect forever. He didn’t need to care about the cost. 

“He is waiting for you.”

“So leave, then he can have me completely.” He’s important to him, he wanted him. Joker looked back up at the man, feeling over his armour, he shone like the most vivid nightmare in this room, a black so rich he could melt in it. The bright green of the other was too bright and he winced when the being was right behind Batman. 

“You are not laws of the universe. You are just men. You have only one path you can pick. But you can’t choose it here, you need to _wake up_. Apologies but you need to see that these worlds are wrong for you. It involves giving you a shock.”  
  


" **Please, I love you. Wake up!”**  
  


There was a dull thud and the beings’s arm was now red, it was much better than the green, it didn’t hurt his eyes any more. He saw him holding a misshapen lump, dripping in his hand, his arm, was dripping too. He didn’t understand it. He followed the arm with his hands to the base of Batman’s chest. He laughed because it was absurd. How could an arm be there when Batman’s body was there. They couldn’t be in the same spot. The arm moved away but now he could see the grey through a circle in Batman's chest. How...

“Did you do a trick?” he asked, well he thought he asked, he thought he screamed but he was just laughing. He couldn’t stop. The batman collapsed and he just stepped over him and grabbed at the being. He couldn’t breathe because he was laughing so much, he couldn’t stop it, he tried, he couldn’t breathe. The being was laughing now too. Joker's face grew wet like it was raining on them but it was just an empty room now. Oh god he was alone in here. Alone and forgotten, he would die here and no one would miss him, no one would remember him. There was only one person who would ever even care and he was-   
  


————————————————

  
Joker jolted awake, his body jumping like he had fallen in his dream and then jumped again and Bruce was awake. 

Or he thought he was, he forgot who he was or where he was for a moment and looked around the grey room he was in with J’onn. 

“I-I… What?” his mind seemed to stutter “That-”

“-Was what the Joker saw, yes.” 

He was going more towards a nightmare but he didn’t think that really covered the rollercoaster that the experience was more him, it was almost too much. “I think i need a minute.”

“Time moves differently in here, take all the time you need.” J’onn just stayed standing by while Bruce fought through the waves of emotions which had him between laughing and weeping. Bruce thought he was going to be sick, everything he had seen seemed to have grafted into his actual memories, he thought back and he had been a completely different person. He had been the Joker. Thought like him, saw the world like him. It had been terrifying and confusing, he felt like he understood more and less about the other man at the same time. 

“Well, at least i know he really did know who i was… you could have told Wonder Woman that.”

“I wasn’t in my right state of mind, Joker’s thought processes can be… a bit much to handle. Besides, she was set on this no longer being an issue for you both as well. Names have power when shared.”

“Uh-huh.” 

They were quiet again and Bruce was waiting for the Martian to talk and give his own opinions but he just stayed looking at Bruce. He sighed and processed what he had learned. “He is crazy. Some people thought it was just an act but there is something wrong with him. I might not be able to help fix the extent of it.”

“Yes, he has no past, no framework for the world around him. He can see it clearly and calmly in some moments and misinterpret it in others. You believe your relationship had a good influence, you might be right. However, that is a lot of pressure on you, are you willing to be all that is between him and the worst of his darkness?”

“Relationship or not, I always have been.” That was their dynamic from the start. 

“But never with so much to personally lose.” The Martian pointed out.

“...no, i think even back then, there was always something… no matter what he did or how angry i got, he was always different from the others. _I needed to be the one_ to stop him, to save him. He thought the same, obviously.” He felt the emotions Joker felt, there were so many towards him but he felt actual love and affection there but the infatuation and obsession was palpable as well.   
  
“I’m sorry you had to see...feel all the… inappropriate thoughts about us together.” 

“I didn’t wish to cross any boundaries and blocked that part from my own mind, so I believe it was weirder for you.” J’onn said with amusement, and he wasn’t wrong. 

“Jealousy is an issue. I knew that but not to the extent he saw, if anyone is close to me he sees it as a threat to the attention he gets. He said he knows he's ‘my favourite’ but I don't know what could tip him towards the extremes. They are under threat.”

“You will need to deal with that risk, as you continue on but you have already made steps in that direction have you not?” J’onn spoke calmly, just letting Bruce work out what he wanted to do. Bruce just couldn’t stand being told the other’s thoughts having seen the most of them than the rest of the team.

“So what do you think J’onn… about us?” 

“It is not my place… I will agree not to interfere. Your lives are uniquely bound, you are correct in that regard. It could go in any of the directions that the Joker had created. Towards change, good or bad for either of you, stagnating, fighting and death only. Evolving to make it work, regressing and tearing the other apart. Those could still happen and you both can not ignore that fact but… you may also find some place softer, some place better. It is in your hands now, Bruce. In both of yours. I will be here if you need help but kindness, love, understanding… just having someone you know will think of you, who would miss you. That can be all that is needed to keep someone from the edge.”

“...thank you, J’onn. I mean, really, thank you… for everything.”

“You’re welcome, my friend.”  
  


——————————————  
  


Bruce’s eyes fluttered open and he was back in the ship's kitchenette, J’onn leaning out of his line of sight and Joker pushed himself into it. 

“Morning sleeping Beauty, you were in that trance for a week!”

“ _What?_ ” Just a week it felt like more but J’onn implied it would be only-   
  
“No, Bruce, it was maybe 5 minutes.” Clark spoke up. 

“Don’t do that.” Bruce told Joker and properly looked at him. There was just so much going on in that skinny body of his. 

“What did you find?” Diana asked them and Bruce for a moment forgot what was even happening here, why did they even do this? Oh right, Joker’s intentions. 

“Okay just before you say anything, Marvin the Martian, if that is your real name, everything I saw in there was under the duress of that plant thingy and shouldn’t count in th-”

“I approve, no intervention needed.” J’onn said and he didn’t know who looked more surprised, the team or the Joker. 

“-Okay, never mind, speak away.” 

“Joker does have genuine feelings towards Bruce and harbours _no current_ wish to cause undue harm to him in any way.”

“So, you think he still might-” Diana started but J’onn held up his hand to stop her. 

“We said our piece but I’m sure you both will have much to speak on moving forward.” He said, looking at both of them, the Joker seemed uneasy again. Bruce rested a hand lightly over Joker’s knee before he looked back at the team who were practically leaning in their seats to hear what he had to say. But he didn’t need anymore voyeurism on their love life. 

“Yeah we do, let's go, J.” he stood up and walked out, forgetting he was injured after having been the Joker for what had felt like a long time. He stumbled a little but Joker was at his side, hooking one arm in Bruce’s with the crutch under his other. “Don’t worry, you looked awesome, just keep going until they can’t see us and you can take the crutch, you got this.” Joker whispered. 

They navigated the crowd and managed to shake a few fans from following them before they went to the ruins with all the posters, he could see the blank spaces from where joker had stolen some. He had seen a few people painting, he was sure before he left they would have another of their final fight with Mongul. 

“Who knew some weird alien with a bad reality tv bloodsport show would have had such an influence on our lives, eh?” Joker rocked on his heels, he's never really seen the Joker so anxious like this. “So… _you saw inside my head?_ You know if you told even a second of what you saw while in there to the doc’s at Arkham and you’d be rich… well… for you, it would mean you wouldn’t need to search through the couch cushions for spare change, i guess… since you’re-” he gestured over Bruce.

“A billionaire?”

“Was going for class traitor but yeah that works.” Whatever expression Bruce was showing, it was enough to make Joker loosen some of the tension in his body as he laughed at him. Joker dropped down into the dirt and leaned against the wall, patting the dirt besides him. They’ll be covered in red but Bruce still carefully dropped down beside him, propping his crutch against the wall. 

“So, let's hear it. After all that are you breaking up with me? And right before prom? I can’t return that dress, for your information. Too many stains which the hydroxide didn’t quite get out.” Joker said, voice soft, refusing to look him in the eyes.

“I’m not… breaking up with you. God, this makes me sound like my kids highschool drama.” Bruce dropped his head back against the wall. “But I don’t like lying about us to my friends and family, especially when things could… go wrong.” 

“So you wanna go public?”  
  
“...Not fully public but... the rest of the team and my family need to know so we’ll have to tell them. I'd like for you to properly meet them and… not, hate them for being connected to me? not just staying in our little cave hidden in the dark. Maybe, if we get daring, come up into the house.” just slow steps to keep them stable and connected with the rest of his life. 

“So... you’re asking me if we could have a _small intimate party_ with all your _close family and friends_ to _announce our intention with each other?_ ” Joker asked, eyes bright with delight as he leaned closer to Bruce.   
  
“Yes, though… a party wouldn’t be what i’d call-”

“No it will be perfect, Yes! Yes, Darling, I will marry you!”

“Wait, Joker no-” 

The clown knocked him over, pushing him into the dirt and covering him with kisses. “You made me the happiest super villain in the world.” How did he lose control of this so fast?

“Watch my leg! Joker, that wasn’t what I wasn’t asking!” Bruce said in a panic but Joker just kept kissing him and muffling his protests until the Jester couldn’t stop laughing. “You were joking weren’t you? Please tell me you were messing with me.” Bruce asked cautiously. Joker just laughed even more. “Damn you, Joker. You’re still killing me.” The hero dropped his head back into the dirt and they just lay there together for a moment. The dirt was uncomfortable and getting everywhere, his leg ached and Joker was boney and had his long limbs everywhere. This was real. Bruce hugged Joker closer. 

“Love you, Bats.” Joker sang.  
  
“Love you, Jokes.” he replied slightly exasperated.

They finally were able to say it properly to each other, not while trapped or in a mental prison. 

“Yeah, okay, whatever you want, Darling, we can do that. I’ll play nice with the heroes and with the brats but! -That all sounds _very stressful_ and I’m in a very delicate mental state right now… so, about that repayment for my emotional trauma.” Joker danced a finger tip over his chest. “Past, present and future.” 

Bruce rolled his eyes and prepared for the worst. 

——————————————

“Oh what the hell?” Green Lantern said, crossing his arms as they looked up at the ship.  
  
“I owed him, and trust me I’m not happy about it either.” Bruce said, looking as the paint stained clown waved at him enthusiastically as he and a few aliens he hired on a type of cherry-picker did some finishing touches. 

The ship which had been given a proper sleek black paint job by Bruce now sported rough spray painted “HA HA” marks surrounding the word BATJOKES in the centre of the rebellions symbol for them. It took maybe a quarter of the length of the ship, right on the back near the thrusters. He just knew he needed to be more worried when Joker brought that idea up during the sparring. Joker never lefts things like that go.

“At least, she finally has a name now.” Hawkgirl had been watching this with glee. “You’re such a softy Bruce.” 

He sighed before yelling. “Hurry up, we need to meet R’ishan before we leave for home!"

"Be right there, sweetie!" was yelled back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you guess all the references to the other worlds Joker saw?


	10. Brought back together and whole

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> just a light Epilogue for what life becomes for our dark and light duo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drink water, hydrate and take your meds

“-then we should all walk down the aisle side by side in our nice suits, You will be waiting at the end, smiling at us in white, everyone cheers for us-.”  
  
“Joker, I don't think they will give us a New hope parade.” Bruce told him and damn if he did hope Joker was making a movie reference and not still thinking about weddings.    
  
“Not with that attitude!” Joker shot back with a grin. 

R’ishan was just staring adoringly at them, Bruce was sure he and Joker could be doing anything and the little fan alien would be excited by it. As it were, they didn't have any parade or medals but R’ishan and the other rebel leaders gave their thanks and a communication device so they could contact each other if they needed help or had any warnings from space for them. 

“You did indeed give us hope, you two survived the fights with both a swift hand and the wisdom in sparing life, you tow proved that Mongul could be taken down and you returned to us to ensure that once and for all, War World will end and we no longer have to fight against our will and live in fear. We truly do thank you.” R’ishan pressed the dark silver square device into Bruce’s hand. “We hope to return the favour and fight alongside you both if you were to ever need us. Thank you, Batman, Thank you Joker.” 

When R’shan’s hand moved away Joker left hand covered Bruce's right and they held their hands up high in the air, both holding the device in place. There was a roar as the large crowd of this makeshift city cheered in celebration. All chanting a phase over and over again, the ones who had translators letting hear it as “Punish! Mercy!” 

“Well, not the space opera ending I thought we’d get but close enough.” Joker said to Bruce before the jester grabbed him by the belt and pulled him in, kissing him and making the crowd get even louder which he didn’t think was possible.  When he was eventually let go he could see the range of emotion of the Justice league from Shayera who was cheering too, J’onn and Diana looking neutral, John rolling his eyes and Clark looking very uncomfortable. even with all the noise he could still read Superman's lips when he asked the others "We're really okay with this now?"

One step at a time, Bruce reminded himself and leaned in close to Joker as the clown waved excitedly at his fans “Lets not go to space again next year.” Bruce murmured back. Joker giggled in return. 

————————————————   


The trip back was much different than it had been arriving here. 

Joker was able to stay out of his room now. The team was getting used to interacting with him but they were now putting in more of an effort. Trying to discover what he was actually like when not antagonising them. But they were not going to forget that he was a villain and like himself, no matter how human, still a threat. They all double checked to make sure he didn't sneak any weapons  _ or kryptonite _ with him this time. 

With their secret out now, He and Joker also had the pressure of accountability. Which meant any the first sign of any troublesome behaviour they would call Bruce and Joker would at least pretend to be good, least they find a reason to justify intervening. Which would have been fine if it didn’t also mean they also paid more attention to look for reasons. The eyes on them went it would be noticed when they would sneak around and visit each other's rooms. Which unfortunately meant he owned Shayera a pair of louboutin when they got back to Earth to keep her mouth shut after she found them making out in the storage room. 

————————————————

It was a few day cycles in. The pair found themselves alone, just sitting in the cockpit, Bruce looking out into space as Joker had his feet up in Bruce’s lap. Bruce rested his hand on Joker’s leg, slid under the fabric of his slacks. Bruce was still tensed up ready to pull away if anyone came too close, instincts were hard to fight but he was getting used to simply being private but not having to hide everything. “So is this what it’s like for normal people?” The jester asked breaking him out of his thoughts. 

Bruce raised an eyebrow at him. “We’re in space, honey.” he said in deadpan.

Joker blew raspberries at him “You know what I mean. I miss the clandestine parts of our relationship but.. You think this will work?”

“You should know, you mind thought we could make any version of us work.” he replied, looking over at the other man. 

“We’re the winning team.” Joker grinned.    
  
“Yes, we are.” Bruce smiled back. 

“We really should have asked for medals, we deserved them!” Bruce ignored that, looking back out into the expansive void they were rapidly traveling through “You know, you never actually told me the whole of your plant induced ‘It was all a dream’ prison. You know I won't be  _ too mad _ if you tell me you thought of someone else. I have you in real life, that counts for a lot, I’d say.” Bruce just could hear it in the tone of his voice that Joker did actually care about about it and he would probably be quite mad. 

“J… I wasn’t lying. I did see you.” So now that everything was on the table with them he told Joker, told him what he had seen. The little life they had together. Then he told Joker more stories, about how he became Batman, about Dick and Jason. About what he wanted in life. 

Joker in turn didn’t have much of a past he could share but while it was confused, did his best to explain what he wanted, at least for the moment. They spent the rest of the flight resting, healing and planning for their future when they got back to Earth. They had changed the first time they had come back from fighting Mongul, now they would change again. Bruce could hope it would only continue being for the better. 

————————————————

  
  


**Diana P :** messaged at 1436  
**It’s over a month since we came back, just checking in, how are things with the clown?**

Bruce had been checking his phone as he walked but he grew alert at the sounds of struggling so he put the phone away and started heading down at a run. He made it down the steps swiftly stepped out, looking over the main area of the Batcave and his eyes were quickly drawn to the purple of a suit and the red of a hoodie.  Joker was taunting Jason, he couldn’t hear what he was saying but he could see his exaggerated hand moments and how Jason was steadily getting angrier and angrier. It was making his stance sloppy and he watched and Joker jumped out of the way of one strike and made a face at the teen, so when Jason struck with fury and strength there was a loud clang as Joker still dodged and let the metal quarterstaff hit the the Batmobile. He did hear the loud swear Jason gave and the manic laughing the Joker followed it with. 

Bruce started walking down, just watching, neither noticing him yet. There was a “Fuck you, Clown.” and Jason use the moment Joker was distracted by his own laughter to thrust the point into his stomach before he swung the staff swung and cough Joker in the side of his jaw, knocking Joker down. The man hissed in pain but looked up with a grin, a trail of blood dribbling down his chin. 

“Jason!” Bruce called out and the huffing teenager stopped. 

“We’ve fought like this before, he can take it!”   
  
“Yeah, Batsy. Don’t you want your little tike to learn? What if he ends up fighting a crazy, dangerous killer one day?” Joker said and from inside his jacket pulled out his own newly bought -by Bruce- purple and green, shark smile grapple hook and while Jason was looking up at him, sent the spiked claw around his thankfully booted ankle. The kid’s leg was swept from under him, causing him to drop to the floor before he was dragged across the platform until he was lying next to the jester. 

“You took your eyes off me. Remember, Bad guys wont fight fair.” the man sang. Jason struggled to get the claw off and grew more frustrated with the laughing, the new Robin kicked Joker in the gut pulling an “Oof” from from the man before they were both wrestling again, a bit too roughly. 

Bruce had reached the platform by then and physically pulled them apart by the backs of their clothes. “Okay sparing is done for today. Go get cleaned up, Jason, you need to finish your homework if you want to go out on patrol tonight.” 

The teen groaned loudly. “Fine. See you later, Clown.” the teen sniped and walked away. It was a working process with those two. He told both his boys that Joker had known who he was and they would be working on rehabilitating him together… closely. Dick barely listened to his explanation before he hung up on him, it had been a month but they were slowly communicating again, and not just via Alfred. Jason on the other had responded better but not because of a reason he approved of. 

“You better get to it, Jay-bird. I am meeting an old chum of mine who might just have the location TwoFace has been holding out in. depending on how it goes, your Bat-dad might be finding me and I’ll let you know what I found.” Joker grinned with bloody teeth. Jason paused and gave a quick nod to Joker before running off. 

Bruce held a hand down and helped Joker up. “You can’t be dangling revenge in front of him like that. He’s still a boy, he has time to change how he deals with all that anger. I’m trying to bring him away from that path.”

“Don’t worry, Bat-Daddy.” Joker stood and used the force of Bruce's pull to crash into Bruce’s chest. Bruce stood strong and didn’t even sway back, just wrapped his arm around Joker’s waist and kept him that close. “Twoface is all mine, he's not going to be the one getting to him first. We’re just bonding over the thought of it is all.” 

“That somehow that doesn’t make me feel any better about it.”   
  
“Do you want me to find a way to make you feel better?” Joker purred before leaning in to kiss him. He resisted for a moment but then slowly started kissing back. Joker’s hands went to his ass and surprised him with how firmly he was getting groped and squeezed. 

“Easy, J.” He smiled against the others lips.

“Well, the kidos busy now isn’t he? Jokey and Bat-Daddy finally have this whole cave to ourselves and those thousands of voyeur bats.” 

Bruce rolled his eyes but took Joker’s hand, dragging him up the stairs to the actual manor. Joker giggles like a kid trying not to get caught by a disapproving parent as they snuck around, keeping away from the study Jason would be working in and heading to Bruce’s room. They quickly stripped each other and Joker dropped back, messing up the perfectly made bed. “I think I love your bed.” he sighed happily. “Not saying that you should leave though.” he reached his arms up until Bruce Joined him. It was really nice to do this in a proper bed. 

It wasn't like his vision with the Black Mercy, nor did he want it to be. Joker was still himself, he gripped too hard, used a lot of teeth and nails. When things are too perfect they didn't seem real but here, Joker on his lap, pushing him into his own bed and whispering filth and sweet nothings as road his cock like it could keep him out of jail was perfect enough.   
  
  


————————————————

They shared his shower before lounging in bathrobes on his bed until the sun started going down. Returning to the cave, the two sat at the dressing table, Bruce’s eyes closed as Joker did the black shadows again, taking longer as the Joker spoke excitedly about whatever came to mind. 

“Sirs… ah, there you are. I assume this is going to be a long night as you both are out ‘working’.” Alfred came into the little ready room, balancing a tray of tea as well as a full plate of dinner and what looked like slices of tiramisu for dessert -that Joker wouldn’t get until he took his medication. Alfred, who had been the one to sew up many of the injuries Joker caused and who had saw what some of the encounters had done to him, was still very hesitant and a bit more snippy with Joker still. Though Otherwise was completely civil. But Joker for his part didn’t act like he noticed any shortness that came from the butler.

“Oh good afternoon, Jeeves! Don’t worry, I intend to have him back by before sunrise.” he said with a wink. He made a face at his pills but he no longer pouted or complained and just took them. They ate together, watching old TV shows on the large computer screen before continuing to get ready for the night. 

Back all dressed up, Batman and Joker stood together near the tunnel Joker uses to get into the batcave. “I’ll see you out in the city. I’ll be keeping an eye on the rooftops for you.” Even though he had told Joker not to kiss him with his lipstick on, the clown still rose up on his toes and gave him a firm peck. 

“Try and behave out there.” Bruce said fruitlessly. 

“No promises.” the man sang before pulling him in for a few more kisses and then happily strutting off. Bruce still didn't know a lot about what Joker got up to out there but he still kept to his word and civilians still weren't getting killed. It was really all he could ask for right now. They still both had seperate lives, that wouldn't change until they retired or died. However they kept a good rhythm of give and take, ask and demand, give in and give back. Bruce quickly went back to the bathroom and cleared the red from his mouth before Jason saw. The teen knew that they had a relationship but the Jason wouldn't comment on it if he didn't see it and he really didn’t want to see it and yeah, that was fair. Again, baby steps.

When the time came, he and Jason got into the car and shot out into the night. No on going investigation at the current time so they just leapt over the buildings, patrolling the known high crime spots. Testing Jason in collecting information and he’d judge which crimes Jason could take -catching purse snatchers, scaring away vandals.- while Bruce took the arms dealers or anything who looked more like a threat.

It was around 4AM when Alfred informed them of a disturbance at speakeasy which was in Twoface’s territory. It didn’t take much deduction on who might be causing the disturbance. Bruce sent Jason to monitor the surrounding area while he went first. Gunshots were ringing through the area. Bruce had seen joker face many odds and survive more things than a normal man ever could but he was still worried for him knowing he was fighting alone.  He came across an alleyway where a group of what looked like 5 men who worked for Twoface stood around, littered cigarette buts suggest they had been out on a break but one was peaking in the door, the rest had their hands resting against guns. Well his next move was an easy choice. Bruce leapt down, landing in the middle of the men and as soon as his feet touched the ground he slammed his fist into the door, making it close on the man’s temple and he fell to the ground unconscious. 

No one had time to react so he quickly moved before they did, he punched one man to stun him and then front kicked him into the brick wall behind him. One man started yelling so he hit his fingers to the man’s trachea, before he took a few body shots and pushed him to the floor. One one dropped his gun, and put his hands up. “I give up, I swear, I just needed the money, I... “ 

“Then stay there and answer some questions.” he said gruffly before he turned to face the last man but he turned to find a gun point blank at his face.

“I don’t think so Batman, this is the last face you’ll ever see-” There was a cloud of green gas that clouded the man from behind was visible for a moment as the man’s words were cut off with a cough until he started laughing and dropped the gun as he fell to his knees. Behind him Bruce could see the Joker and what looked like a slide whistle in his mouth. 

“Always getting your tight lil’ass into trouble.” Joker stepped over the laughing body and dropped the whistle. “They always talk so much. At least I had the excuse that I didn’t actually want you dead yet… well.. No all the time at least.”. Around them the rest of Twoface’s goons ran out of the building, obviously after the Joker but were surprised to see Batman there. The group were jeering as they encircled them. Obviously expecting to see a good fight and if they killed each other first their jobs would be done. They both looked around at the men and women shouting around them before looking at each other. “Oh these poor fools, they have no idea.” Joker hummed in dark satisfaction.

Bruce smirked back at him. “None at all.” They got into a fighting stance, still facing each other and after a beat, Bruce stepped out to the sides and punched the henchmen at random while Joker pulled out a mallet and one unlucky person lost a few teeth as they were clocked right under their chin. One by one they took out the people around them. Bruce caught a fist heading for Joker, squeezing around the thug's hand and pressing it backwards until the man cried out and dropped to his knees, then it was easy to just knee him in the jaw and send him sprawling onto the concrete. Joker too, protected him back and when a henchmen ran at him with a metal baton, he caught it and used it as a conductor to shock him before shoving him back at Bruce’s awaiting fist. 

Joker did get hit and Bruce put a hand on his back to stop the clown falling “Well my informant just ran off, I hope you actually got some information before you started this fight.” he said and shoved Joker back into the fight as he attached some sneaking up behind him. 

He hooked a hand at the back of the thug's neck and used his momentum against him and drove his head into a gutter pipe. He turned back and saw Joker literally jumping on someone. He hoped off and spun round so he was practically back-to-back with Bruce. “We, we all know you’re not as good at the talking part than I am so, don’t worry, I’m sure you can _convince me_ to share some details.” he purred under his breath. 

There was a loud sequence of clicks and they turned and saw a new wave of men surrounded them, all holding automatic rifles. “Ah, I’ll tell you about the new gun smuggling shipment for free.” They dove off to the side, Joker hidden behind the lip of the side door and Bruce being a fan exhaust unit. “Any bright ideas!?” Joker yelled over the rapid gun fire. 

The roar of the Batmobiles engine rumbled through just before the car showed up at the entrance. Bruce threw smoke screen pellets and yelled “Go!” making sure the Joker got out as he followed. Most men were coughing but some were still spraying off bullets so he make sure he protected Joker as they ran to the car. 

The windows lifted and he saw Jason scrambling to the back seat as Bruce ran, leaping straight into the drivers’ seat. Joker was laughing behind him and tossed one of his own Joker venom bombs just as the smoke screen started lightening. He jumped and slid over the front of the car but didn’t stick the landing, laughing as he fell in a crumpled before he quickly got back up and hopped into the passenger seat. The top closed and the car zoomed off. 

Just as Bruce started telling Jason off for driving the car, Joker started praising him loudly with how cool that must have looked. Bruce let it go for now circled around to the front of the club, just in time to see the few people who were affected by the gas or who were still in the building piling into vans. He navigated the still busy streets and caught up with the vans driving away. Joker braced his hands on the sides of the door, laughing as they gained on them.    
  
“Oh! Oh oh oh, tell me what buttons I can press, _I wanna press a button_ , Please, please, Batsy.” 

“Why does he get to press a button, _I wanna press a button!_ ” Jason yelled back, he heard the unclicking of the seat belt and suddenly the kid was leaning between them. They were very much going to be a bad influence on each other. 

“There are two vans, you both can press a button.” he huffed. Dodging traffic he managed to get them right behind the vans. He counted down for Jason and helped him aim with the computer and he was able to pend a spike to impact the back wheels of the van, the tried screeched and they watched as the van started swerving, losing speed and being clipped by the Batmobile and ended up spinning and crashing into a poll. The police would be finding them, he could already see the lights at the start of the street. He gained on the second van, Joker’s eyes lighting up as he looked over all the buttons and controls. 

“Oh now this looks interesting.” and of course Joker chose the Harpoon gun.   
  
“Not into the back of the van, the men inside could get hurt.”

“Well that is what they get for driving without a seatbelt. The dirty lawbreakers.” Joker hissed.

Bruce swerved out and brought the car side by side with the van “Try for the engine.” Bruce directed in a firm no nonsense voice. 

“I love it when you take control.” said salaciously and licked his lips.    
  
“Don’t be gross!” Jason groaned from the back seat but he also heard the click of him putting his seat belt back on. 

"Joker snorted "You'll understand when you're older."

They heard the pop of the harpoon gun shooting off and it hit the mark, imbedding into the metal with sparks in its wake. “Buckle up, Joker.” he warned and waited for that click before he slammed the brakes. The harpoon line snapped taut and the van was yanked into a harsh arc, for a moment it stopped and balanced on its two left wheels but someone must have shifted the wrong way and then it was falling onto its side. 

“We got those shit heads!” Jason said excitedly.   
  
“Language!” he snapped only from joker to ruin it by yelling his own cry of triumph.

“We got those motherfuckers! Those bastards can eat our- Ow!” 

Bruce pulled his arm back from where he had punched Joker’s shoulder and the clown looked at his expression and laughed. A police car grew close and Bruce pressed the sequence to get the harpoon to retract and drove off.  Alfred was on call and Joker excitedly explained what he had learned about the crime moment in Gotham before talking back to Jason, specifically what he had learned about the safehouses owned by Twoface. They compared what intel they each had and worked on a strategy before the Joker pointed out he wasn’t going to work with them but then continued along with putting together the plan with himself included anyways. 

They ended up parked in an empty and shadowy parking lot, listening to the police scanner and sharing some of the hot chocolate Alfred and packed from them. Jason and Joker were still talking in non-arguments but it was still pleasant to hear. 

Bruce suddenly remembered the message from Diana and brought his phone back out. He looked at Joker and his son and gave a small smile before he replied.

**Bats:** messaged at 0517

**It's been Great.**

Gotham was a city of metal and concrete, aged and worn but the lights of Gotham city stayed bright, no matter what time it was. Most criminals hid away, the tide of crime ruling the city slowly turning against them. The bright parts of this city were seeming to get brighter every night. It would never be a perfect city, he didn’t think all crime could be stopped in his lifetime. That kind of miracle wouldn’t happen in any human means. But this was a city where anything could happen. 

The greatest supervillain could become the friend of a hero, and then a lover. They were exact opposites which made them so similar and while they still stood for polar opposite morals, even why they needed to fight each other even after fighting together. They would take their lives which were tied together and do what they could to keep each other away from a reality where they might have killed each other and instead make something better. It wasn’t going to be perfect, part of it will be ugly and complicated. But after going through so much together he knew he could endure it and keep coming back stronger. Not all change was bad. connected by fates, cuffs, red ties or just affection. They were now stronger together than apart. They could be certain of that.

They were the winning team, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are, happy batjoke fam running around and making a mess of Gotham.  
> I want to thank you all for reading and all the loyal people who always commented, I love you all and I want to thank the rest of you for being on this lil writing journey with me. 
> 
> Until next time~   
> An don't worry, i have many idea for other batjokes fics so their will be a next time.


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